Meet Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan's New President

Ghani’s inauguration marked Afghanistan’s first democratic transfer of power — and the end to Hamid Karzai’s 13-year rule.









This is Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan's new president. His inauguration Monday was a momentous moment for the war-torn country. The ceremony followed months of bickering over election results, and marked the country’s first democratic transfer of power.



The day of the inauguration, Taliban attacks in Kabul killed at least 15 people, including five civilians, The Wall Street Journal reported.


Omar Sobhani / Reuters














Ghani is a former U.S. citizen and World Bank official. He is seen as friendly to the U.S. Ghani faces serious domestic battles, with corruption, Taliban violence, and a poor economy making life for many Afghans a daily struggle.






Omar Sobhani / Reuters














Ghani replaced Hamid Karzai, who ruled Afghanistan for 13 years. Karzai was Afghanistan’s first elected president since the U.S.-led war in 2001. He was re-elected in 2009 amid accusations of election fraud.






Omar Sobhani / Reuters














Karzai could not run in the 2014 elections held last spring because of term limits. Back in April, Afghans first went to the polls to vote in a new president. The elections came amid a rise in terror attacks by the Taliban, who warned people not to vote.



People did anyway, with issues like corruption, security, and the economy top concerns.


Anadolu Agency / Getty Images




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