The Unlikely Rise Of Ashraf Ghani: A President's Path To Power In Afghanistan

Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, the former president of Afghanistan, was born in 1949 in Logar, Afghanistan. He received his primary and secondary education in Afghanistan before travelling to Lebanon to attend the American University of Beirut. After graduating in 1973, he returned to Afghanistan to teach at Kabul University. In 1977, Ghani left Afghanistan to study for a Master's degree at Columbia University in New York City. He intended to return to Afghanistan after two years, but the outbreak of the Saur Revolution in 1978 led to the imprisonment of many of his male relatives, and Ghani remained in the US. He completed his PhD at Columbia in 1983, then began teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University.

In 1991, Ghani joined the World Bank as lead anthropologist, and worked on projects in East Asia, China, India, and Russia. Following the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Ghani returned to Afghanistan and served as an adviser to interim President Karzai. He also served as Finance Minister in the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan until 2004, when he became Chancellor of Kabul University. Ghani ran for president in 2009, but came fourth. He resigned as chairman of the Transition Coordination Commission (TCC) in 2013 to run for president again in 2014, and was declared the winner that September. Ghani was re-elected in 2019, but his term ended abruptly in August 2021 when the Taliban took over Kabul and he fled the country.

Ghani's education and early career

Ghani was born in 1949 in the Logar province of Afghanistan. He attended Habibia High School in Kabul for his primary and secondary education. In 1966, he studied as a foreign exchange student at Lake Oswego High School in Oregon, USA.

In 1973, Ghani received a Bachelor of Arts in political studies from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. There, he met his future wife, Rula. After graduating, he returned to Afghanistan to teach Afghan studies and anthropology at Kabul University. In 1977, Ghani left Afghanistan to study for a Master's degree in Anthropology at Columbia University in New York. He intended to return to Afghanistan after two years, but the outbreak of the 1978 Saur Revolution led to most of his male family being imprisoned by pro-Soviet forces. Ghani remained in the US, earning his PhD in Anthropology from Columbia in 1983.

After receiving his PhD, Ghani taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and then at Johns Hopkins University as an associate professor from 1983 to 1991. During this period, he was a frequent commentator on the BBC Dari and Pashto services, broadcast in Afghanistan.

In 1991, Ghani became Lead Anthropologist at the World Bank. During his time there, he worked on projects in East Asia, China, India, and Russia. He also worked on the Bank's social policy, reviewing country strategies, and designing reform programs. Ghani attended the leadership training programs of Harvard-INSEAD and Stanford business school while working for the World Bank.

Ghani's international career

In 2001, Ghani returned to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. He served as Special Adviser to Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy to Afghanistan. Ghani worked on the design, negotiation, and implementation of the Bonn Agreement, which outlined the roadmap for the transition to a new government based on popular consent. During this time, he also served pro bono as Chief Adviser to then-interim president Hamid Karzai. Ghani assisted with the preparation of the Loya Jirgas (grand assemblies) that elected Karzai and approved the constitution.

Ghani then served as Finance Minister in the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2004. During his tenure, he implemented a package of extensive reforms and initiated several public investment programs that significantly improved the livelihoods of ordinary Afghans. Some of his notable achievements as Finance Minister include issuing a new currency, computerizing treasury operations, centralizing revenue collection, and instituting regular reporting to the cabinet, the public, and international stakeholders as a tool for transparency and accountability. Ghani's efforts were recognized internationally, and he was awarded the highest civilian award in Afghanistan, the Sayed Jamal-ud-Din Afghan medal, as well as being named the Best Finance Minister of Asia in 2003 by Emerging Markets.

After his term as Finance Minister, Ghani declined to join the newly elected government in December 2004 and instead became the Chancellor of Kabul University, serving from 2004 to 2008. During this time, he focused on rebuilding the university and its resources after years of conflict and neglect under the Taliban government. Ghani also co-founded the Institute for State Effectiveness, which aimed to help governments and their international partners build more effective and accountable systems.

Ghani's work as finance minister

Ashraf Ghani served as the Finance Minister in Hamid Karzai's cabinet from 2002 to 2004. During his tenure, he is credited with designing and implementing some of the most extensive and challenging reforms of the period.

He issued a new currency in record time, computerized treasury operations, instituted a single treasury account, adopted a policy of balanced budgets, and introduced the budget as the central policy instrument. He also centralized revenue collection, reformed the tariff system, and overhauled customs. Ghani further instituted regular reporting to the cabinet, the public, and international stakeholders as a tool for transparency and accountability.

In addition to these reforms, Ghani took a hardline stance against corruption. He fired corrupt officials from the Finance Ministry, ignoring threats of revenge. He also refused to pay the army until they produced a genuine roster of soldiers, suspecting that the figures were exaggerated to claim extra money.

Ghani also played a crucial role in coordinating donor assistance. He required donors to focus their interventions on three sectors, improving accountability with government counterparts and preparing a development strategy that prioritized Afghan ownership of their future development.

For his efforts, Ghani was recognized as the Best Finance Minister of Asia in 2003 by Emerging Markets. He was also awarded the Sayed Jamal-ud-Din Afghan medal, the highest civilian award in Afghanistan.

Ghani's post-finance ministry

Chancellor of Kabul University (2004-2008)

After declining to join President Karzai's cabinet following the 2004 election, Ghani was appointed Chancellor of Kabul University. During his chancellorship, Ghani focused on rebuilding the university and restoring its resources after years of conflict and neglect under the Taliban regime. He also advocated for a vision of shared governance among the faculty, students, and staff.

Founding the Institute for State Effectiveness:

Ghani co-founded the Institute for State Effectiveness with Clare Lockhart to assist governments and their international partners in building more effective and accountable systems of governance. Their work received international recognition, and they co-authored the book "Fixing Failed States: A Framework for Rebuilding a Fractured World" in 2008.

Chairman of the Transition Coordination Commission (TCC) (2010-2013)

From 2010 until his resignation in October 2013 to run for president, Ghani served as Chairman of the TCC, which was responsible for the challenging task of transferring power from ISAF/NATO troops to Afghan Security Forces. During this time, he travelled extensively across Afghanistan's 34 provinces.

2014 Presidential Election and Presidency (2014-2021)

In the 2014 Afghan presidential election, Ghani faced a close contest with rival Abdullah Abdullah. The election was highly disputed, leading to negotiations mediated by the United States. Ultimately, Ghani was declared the winner with 55.27% of the total votes and became president on September 29, 2014.

As president, Ghani was known for his energetic speeches and aimed to transform Afghanistan into a technocratic state. He made efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and pursued peace negotiations with Taliban insurgents. However, many of his promises, such as fighting corruption and improving trade, remained unfulfilled.

Ghani's presidency was also marked by political rivalries, his attempts to reduce the power of ex-warlords, and a strained relationship with the United States. On August 15, 2021, his term abruptly ended as the Taliban took control of Kabul, leading Ghani to flee the country and seek refuge in the United Arab Emirates.

Ghani's presidency

During his presidency, Ghani strengthened ties with Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and opened new trade routes within the wider region. He also oversaw the completion of several regional infrastructure projects, including the Chabahar Port in Iran, which increased trading with India, and the extension of a railway line from Turkmenistan to Aqina in Afghanistan, which formed part of the "Lapis Lazuli" transport corridor.

In 2015, a survey conducted by the Afghan news channel TOLO News showed that Ghani's popularity had fallen dramatically, with only 27.5% of respondents claiming they were satisfied with his leadership. Ghani's relationship with the United States was also strained, as evidenced by his final call with U.S. President Joe Biden before the fall of Kabul, in which Biden pressed Ghani to "change perception" regarding the Taliban's advances.

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