Abdullah Abdullah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abdullah Abdullah
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عبدالله عبدالله
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Abdullah in 2017
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| Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation | |
| In office 17 May 2020 – 15 August 2021 |
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| President | Ashraf Ghani |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Chief Executive of Afghanistan | |
| In office 29 September 2014 – 11 March 2020 |
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| President | Ashraf Ghani |
| Deputy | Khyal Mohammad Mohammad Khan Mohammad Mohaqiq |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 22 December 2001 – 20 April 2005 |
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| President | Hamid Karzai |
| Preceded by | Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai |
| Succeeded by | Rangin Dadfar Spanta |
| Leader of the National Coalition of Afghanistan | |
| In office 18 March 2010 – 15 August 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Abdullah
5 September 1960 Kārte Parwān, Kabul, Kingdom of Afghanistan |
| Political party | National Coalition of Afghanistan (1996–2021) |
| Spouse |
Fakhria Abdullah
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Kabul University (MBBS) |
Abdullah Abdullah (born on 5 September 1960 as Abdullah) is an important Afghan politician. He led the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) from May 2020 until August 2021. This council worked to bring about peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Before this, Abdullah served as the Chief Executive of Afghanistan from 2014 to 2020. He was also the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2001 to 2005. Earlier in his career, he was a key member of the Northern Alliance, advising Ahmad Shah Massoud. In the 1980s, he worked as an eye doctor.
Abdullah ran for President in 2009 and 2014. After the 2014 election, he and his rival, Ashraf Ghani, formed a special national unity government. In 2020, after another election dispute, he became the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Abdullah was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1960. His father was from Kandahar, and his mother was from Panjshir. He spent his early years living in different parts of Afghanistan. His father worked for the government and was a senator.
Abdullah has seven sisters and two brothers. He used only a first name until he became a government minister. Western newspapers asked for a family name, so he chose "Abdullah Abdullah." He is married and has four children.
Education and Medical Career
Abdullah finished Naderia High School in 1976. He then studied eye medicine at Kabul University. He earned his medical degree in 1983.
After graduating, he worked as an eye doctor in Kabul. Later, he moved to Pakistan. There, he worked at a hospital for Afghan refugees in Peshawar.
Early Political Journey
In 1985, Abdullah returned to Afghanistan. He joined the fight against the Soviet invasion. He became the head of the Health Department for the Panjshir Resistance Front. He helped organize healthcare for fighters and civilians. He became a close friend and adviser to the commander Ahmad Shah Massoud.
After the communist government fell in 1992, a new government was formed. Abdullah became the chief of staff and spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense.
In 1996, the Taliban took control of Kabul and most of Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance was then formed to resist the Taliban. Abdullah became the Northern Alliance's Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Northern Alliance was seen by many countries as Afghanistan's true government.
In 2001, Abdullah traveled with Ahmad Shah Massoud to Europe. Massoud asked for help for the Afghan people. He explained that the Taliban and al-Qaeda had a wrong idea of Islam.
Modern Afghanistan's Government
Foreign Minister Role
In October 2001, the Taliban government was removed. This happened after American and United Front forces worked together. In December 2001, Abdullah was chosen as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This was part of a new temporary government.
After the 2004 presidential election, Abdullah kept his job as Foreign Minister for another year. He resigned from this position in 2005.
Presidential Elections
On 6 May 2009, Abdullah ran for president as an independent candidate. He was running against the current president, Hamid Karzai. Abdullah came in second place in the election. There were many reports of fraud, especially for Karzai's side.
Because no one won more than 50% of the votes, a second election was planned. However, Abdullah decided to withdraw from this second election. He said he did not trust the government to hold a fair election. So, Hamid Karzai was declared the winner.
National Coalition of Afghanistan
After the 2009 election, Abdullah started a group called the Coalition for Change and Hope. This group later became the National Coalition of Afghanistan in 2011. It was a main opposition group against President Hamid Karzai's government.
In the 2010 parliamentary election, Abdullah's group won many seats. This meant the new Parliament could help balance the President's power.
Abdullah believed that some Taliban groups would always fight. He said that the government needed to be ready to fight them. But he also thought that some Taliban members could be convinced to join the peace process. This would happen if the right conditions were created.
In December 2011, the National Coalition of Afghanistan was officially formed. Many Afghan political parties supported it. It aimed to challenge President Karzai's government.
Massoud Foundation Work
Since 2006, Abdullah has been the Secretary General of the Massoud Foundation. This is a group that helps people in Afghanistan. It focuses on healthcare and education. It also works on culture, building, farming, and welfare projects.
2014 Presidential Race
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On 1 October 2013, Abdullah announced he would run for president again in 2014. In the first round, he received the most votes. He then went to a second election round against Ashraf Ghani.
The results of the second election were disputed. Abdullah claimed the government and election groups had cheated. The United States tried to help the two candidates agree on a power-sharing deal.
On 19 September, Ashraf Ghani was announced as the winner. Hours later, Abdullah and Ghani signed an agreement. Ghani became president, and Abdullah took an important role in the government. This deal was signed in front of the presidential palace.
Chief Executive Role (2014–2020)
After the 2014 election, Abdullah became the Chief Executive. This was a new position with powers similar to a prime minister. As Chief Executive, Abdullah met with international leaders and business people. He sought foreign money and support for Afghanistan.
He also tried to arrange ceasefires with the Taliban. Abdullah was more cautious about the Taliban than President Ghani. He noted that many peace attempts had failed. In 2019, he chose not to attend a peace meeting. He felt it would not solve any problems.
2019 Presidential Election
Abdullah Abdullah ran for president again in the 2019 Afghan presidential election. After the election, Ashraf Ghani was declared the winner. However, Abdullah also said he had won. This caused a political crisis. He even said he would form his own government.
On 9 March, both Abdullah and Ghani took the presidential oath of office in separate ceremonies. The United States put pressure on the Afghan government to find a solution. This pressure, along with the threat from the Taliban, led to a deal. President Ghani kept executive power. A new High Council of National Reconciliation was created. Abdullah became the head of this council. His job was to lead peace efforts with the Taliban.
High Council for National Reconciliation (2020–2021)
On 17 May 2020, a deal was made. Abdullah was to lead the High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR) as its chairman. This council was given the power to manage all matters related to the Afghan peace process. The council held its first meeting in December 2020.
After the government collapsed in August 2021, the future of the HCNR became unclear.
After the Taliban Takeover
In February 2022, the Taliban temporarily placed Abdullah under house arrest in Afghanistan. On 4 May 2022, he was allowed to travel to India to visit his family. He returned to Afghanistan on 11 June.
See Also
In Spanish: Abdullah Abdullah para niños
- Hasib Qoway Markaz
