Ashraf Ghani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ashraf Ghani
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اشرف غني
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Ghani in 2017
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| 8th President of Afghanistan | |
| In office 29 September 2014 – 15 August 2021 |
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| Vice President | First VP:
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| Chief Executive | Abdullah Abdullah (2014–2020) |
| Preceded by | Hamid Karzai |
| Succeeded by | Hibatullah Akhundzada (as Supreme Leader) |
| Chancellor of Kabul University | |
| In office 22 December 2004 – 21 December 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Habibullah Habib |
| Succeeded by | Hamidullah Amin |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 2 June 2002 – 14 December 2004 |
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| President | Hamid Karzai |
| Preceded by | Hedayat Amin Arsala |
| Succeeded by | Anwar ul-Haq Ahady |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 May 1949 Logar, Afghanistan |
| Citizenship | Afghanistan United States (until 2009) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse |
Bibi Gul
(m. 1975) |
| Children | 2, including Mariam Ghani |
| Relatives | Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai (brother) |
| Education | American University of Beirut (BA) Columbia University (MA, PhD) |
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (born May 19, 1949) is an Afghan politician and economist. He was the 8th president of Afghanistan from September 2014 to August 2021. His time as president ended when the Taliban took control of the government.
Ghani was born in Logar, Afghanistan. He spent many years studying in other countries like Lebanon and the United States. He earned a PhD in cultural anthropology (the study of human cultures) from Columbia University. For many years, he worked at the World Bank, an organization that helps countries with money and advice.
He returned to Afghanistan in 2001 after the Taliban government fell. He served as the finance minister in President Hamid Karzai's government. Later, he became the head of Kabul University. In 2014, Ghani was elected president. As president, he wanted to modernize Afghanistan and make it a state run by experts, which made him popular with young people. He tried to make peace with the Taliban and improve relations with Pakistan.
However, he faced many challenges. He had political rivals and a difficult relationship with the United States. Many of his plans, like fighting corruption, did not succeed.
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban took control of Kabul, the capital city. Ghani left Afghanistan and moved to the United Arab Emirates. He said he left to prevent more fighting. Some people criticized him for leaving, while others understood his decision.
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Early Life and Education
Ghani was born on May 19, 1949, in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. His father was a clerk, and he belongs to the Ahmadzai Pashtun tribe.
Ghani went to school in Afghanistan. As a teenager, he was a foreign exchange student at a high school in Oregon, USA. He later studied at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, where he met his wife, Rula.
He earned a master's degree and a PhD in cultural anthropology from Columbia University in New York. He had to stay in the U.S. longer than planned because of political trouble back in Afghanistan. His PhD thesis was about the history of Afghanistan from 1747 to 1901.
Career Outside Afghanistan
After getting his PhD in 1983, Ghani taught at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University. His research focused on how countries build strong governments.
In 1991, Ghani started working for the World Bank. He worked on projects in China, India, and Russia. He later focused on helping countries improve their social policies and government programs.
Return to Afghanistan
Ghani returned to Afghanistan in December 2001, after 24 years away. He helped create the new government after the Taliban were removed from power. He worked as a special adviser for the United Nations and as a chief adviser to the interim president, Hamid Karzai.
Minister of Finance (2002–2004)
In 2002, Ghani became the finance minister. He made many important changes to improve Afghanistan's economy. He introduced a new currency, modernized the government's money management, and created a balanced budget. He also worked to collect taxes fairly and reform customs. His work helped make the government more open and responsible.
Chancellor of Kabul University (2004–2008)
In 2004, Ghani chose not to be in the new government cabinet. Instead, he became the chancellor (head) of Kabul University. He worked to rebuild the university, which had been damaged by years of war.
In 2005, he co-founded the Institute for State Effectiveness. This organization studied how to make governments work better. He also gave speeches around the world and wrote for major newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
2009 Presidential Election
In 2009, Ghani ran for president of Afghanistan. His campaign focused on good government and creating jobs. He came in fourth place out of 38 candidates, with about 3% of the vote.
After the election, he became the chairman of a commission responsible for transferring security control from international forces to Afghan forces. He resigned in 2013 to run for president again.
Presidency (2014–2021)
Ghani ran for president in 2014. The election was very close between him and his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah. Because of disagreements over the results, the U.S. helped them reach a deal. Ghani became president, and Abdullah became the chief executive, sharing power.
Ghani was re-elected in 2019. As president, he signed a law in 2020 that required mothers' names to be included on children's ID cards. This was seen as a major victory for women's rights in Afghanistan.
Economy and Trade
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Ghani worked to improve trade with nearby countries. He helped create new trade routes with Iran and India. He also supported major projects like a railway line connecting Afghanistan to Iran and Turkmenistan. These projects were designed to help Afghanistan's economy grow. He hoped to turn Afghanistan into a steel exporter.
Foreign Relations
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Ghani tried to improve relations with Pakistan to help with peace talks with the Taliban. However, relations became difficult due to attacks in Afghanistan that were blamed on groups based in Pakistan.
He had a strong relationship with India and its prime minister, Narendra Modi. Ghani believed a stable Afghanistan could be a bridge connecting Central, South, and West Asia.
Relations with the Taliban
Ghani said he wanted to make peace with the Taliban. He offered to recognize them as a political group if they would join a peace process. In 2021, he suggested holding new elections to form a new government with their participation.
In August 2021, as U.S. troops were leaving, the Taliban quickly advanced across the country. Ghani encouraged local leaders and citizens to fight back.
Flight from Afghanistan
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban entered Kabul. Ghani left the country on the same day, along with his wife and close staff. The presidential palace was taken by the Taliban a few hours later.
Ghani later said he left to avoid terrible violence in the city. He stated that staying would not have helped and would have only caused more tragedy. He and his family were given a place to stay in the United Arab Emirates for humanitarian reasons.
His decision to leave was criticized by some, who felt he abandoned the country. The Russian embassy claimed he fled with large amounts of cash, but Ghani and his aides have denied this, and no evidence has been found to support the claim. In a video, Ghani apologized to the Afghan people and said leaving was the hardest decision of his life.
Personal Life
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Ghani is married to Rula Saade, who is from a Lebanese Christian family. They met while studying at the American University of Beirut. They have two children, a daughter named Mariam and a son named Tarek. Both children were born in the United States and are U.S. citizens. Ghani gave up his own U.S. citizenship in 2009 to run for president of Afghanistan.
At his inauguration in 2014, he publicly thanked his wife, calling her by the Afghan name Bibi Gul. He praised her for supporting the women of Afghanistan.
Ghani is known for waking up very early every morning to read for several hours. His older brother, Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai, is also a politician and chose to stay in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Images for kids
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Ghani with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi
See also
In Spanish: Ashraf Ghani para niños
- Politics of Afghanistan
- Economy of Afghanistan
- Corruption in Afghanistan
