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The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and political rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing agreement two months after both declared themselves the winner of last September’s presidential election.
The deal calls for Abdullah to lead the country’s National Reconciliation High Council and some members of Abdullah’s team would be included in Ghani’s Cabinet.
Background: The Afghan Power Ties
- Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah both declared themselves president in parallel inauguration ceremonies in March.
- They have been locked in a power struggle since then and the discord prompted the Trump administration to announce it would cut $1 billion in assistance to Afghanistan if the two weren’t able to work out their differences.
- A peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban signed February 29 calls for U.S. and NATO troops to leave Afghanistan.
- It was seen at the time as Afghanistan’s best chance at peace in decades of war.
- Since then, the U.S. has been trying to get the Taliban and the Afghan government to begin intra-Afghan negotiations, but the political turmoil and personal acrimony between Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah impeded talks.
India welcomes Ghani-Abdullah pact
- India welcomed the agreement signed by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his political rival Abdullah Abdullah.
- India hopes the Political Agreement and creation of the High Council of National Reconciliation will result in renewed efforts for establishing enduring peace and stability and putting an end to externally sponsored terrorism and violence.
- New Delhi also called for an “immediate ceasefire” to help Afghanistan deal with the covid-19 pandemic.
- The Taliban has thus far rejected all calls for a ceasefire.
Click Here to Read More About the U.S. – Taliban Deal
-Source: The Hindu
