On his first full day in office, newly-inaugurated President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai shuffled around some offices and named important members of his administration.
Former Minister of Interior Mohammad Hanif Atmar was appointed as the new National Security Advisor, to replace Rangin Dadfar Spanta. And Faizullah Zaki was designated as the head of the First Vice President’s office.
The president also decided to fuse the Office of Administrative Affairs and Council of Ministers Secretariat with the Presidential Office. He put Salam Rahimi in charge of the new section, with former Faryab MP Bashir Ahmad Tayyenj as his deputy.
Wasting no time, President Ahmadzai’s inauguration ceremony on Monday itself included the biggest appointment so far, the naming of his election rival Abdullah Abdullah to the post of chief executive. But the announcements that followed on Tuesday seemed to further suggest that the new government will take shape quickly, and be built on a coalition.
The national unity government, as it is called, according to Ghani, will prioritize recovering the economy and fighting corruption. Although, with the NATO coalition withdrawing and the Taliban launching offensives around the country, it is likely security issues will be a top priority as well.
Members of the National Assembly have taken the opportunity since the inauguration to encourage their new president to follow through on promises made during his campaign and to support the vision of the people. “We demand the national unity government consider the aspirations of the people,” MP Zekirya Barakzai said.
“The promises that the president made regarding the implementation of reforms, war on corruption and restoring security must be honored,” Kabul MP Abdul Rauf Enami added.
Sources close to Abdullah say that he has already begun his work, based out of the Presidential Palace. Reportedly, a separate residence on the palace grounds has been re-purposed for the Chief Executive Office. Space for Abdullah’s two deputies has been made in the Marmarin Palace.
