KABUL,
Afghanistan — Afghanistan’s new president-elect pledged in his victory speech
on Monday to give women prominent roles in his government and told his nation
that women are important to the country’s future.
The
remarks by President-elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai came a day after the landmark
power-sharing deal signed by Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates. The
agreement resolved a drawn-out dispute that threatened to plunge Afghanistan
into political turmoil while complicating the withdrawal of U.S. and foreign
troops.
Ghani
Ahmadzai also said his former opponent — Abdullah Abdullah, who will fill the
newly created role of government chief executive — has turned from competitor
to colleague and that the two are committed to improving Afghanistan.
The
country’s election commission on Sunday announced Ghani Ahmadzai as the winner
of a two-man runoff, ending an election process that began with a first round
of voting in April. The announcement came only hours after Ghani Ahmadzai and
Abdullah signed a political deal to form a national unity government.
The
deal allowed the international community — including the U.S. and NATO — to
breathe a sigh of relief, as the settlement greatly decreases the chances of ethnic
vote violence. Ghani Ahmadzai has also pledged to sign a security agreement
that would allow about 10,000 U.S. military trainers and advisers to remain in
the country next year after all U.S. and NATO combat troops withdraw.
The
speech Monday took on the air of a campaign celebration, with a large crowd of
supporters in attendance. Ghani Ahmadzai clasped the hands of female supporters
and he and others raised their hands over their heads, a notable moment in a
country where women are often socially segregated.
The
65-year-old Ghani Ahmadzai said he wants Afghan women represented at the
highest levels of government, including on the Supreme Court, where no female
justices have ever served. He continued the theme during the nationally
televised speech.
“In
the face of these girls I can see future Afghan leaders,” he said as he told
his “sisters” in attendance that they have equal rights in society and
government.
Mary
Akrami, the head of the Afghan Women’s Skills Development Centre, said she
welcomed such sentiments but hoped they would be followed by action. She noted
that Afghan women suffer heavily from family violence.
The
incoming president is viewed as worldly and well-educated. A former finance
minister, he has worked at the World Bank and earned a PhD from New York’s
Colombia University.
Perhaps
to increase his religious bona fides in a devoutly Muslim country, Ghani
Ahmadzai peppered his speech with references to Islam and said God is first and
Afghanistan second.
In a
message that appeared to be aimed at power brokers outside of Kabul, Ghani
Ahmadzai said the national unity government’s aim is to “end all parallel
structures.” He also promised a public report card every six months on the
implementation of the constitution.
To
the annoyance of many Afghans, the election commission did not officially
release vote totals of the June runoff — ballots that underwent a long audit
for fraud — when it announced Ghani Ahmadzai as the winner. Leaked results
showed Ghani Ahmadzai had about 55 percent and Abdullah roughly 45 percent of
the vote.
One
of Abdullah’s final demands in talks with Ghani Ahmadzai was that the election
commission refrain from releasing the vote count because of the fraud he
alleges took place.
Under
the four-page power sharing contract, the president leads the Cabinet but the
chief executive manages the Cabinet’s implementation of government policies.
The chief executive will also chair regular meetings of a council of ministers,
essentially the same Cabinet group but designed to manage implementation.
The
13-year war against the Taliban has largely been turned over to Afghan security
forces, a development that has seen casualties among Afghan soldiers rise
significantly this year.
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