100 Days- Achievements In Afghan context, 100 days are not realistic timeframe and not a norm. However, there have been some invisible progress which could be a foundation for united, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan. First: I believe Pres.Ghani & CEO have developed the roadmap for bringing comprehensive and inclusive structural & institutional reforms & changes in regard to peace, stability, good governance and economic development. Second: Both teams entered the campaign with different agenda and programs and they were able to unify their vision and programs through integrating the two separate agendas. A national unity government is a new experience and operationalizing the political agreement is time consuming. Third: on external front, the recent remarks by China, Saudi Arabia & Pakistans Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is encouraging, but not enough for isolating terrorists politically, technically and financially. But this will help bring them into the negotiating table. Also, the economic and investment based approach to tackle the menace of terrorism is the right shift in foreign policy. This will convert Afghanistan into the crossroad of economic cooperation and not a place for proxy war. Fourth: Signing the BSA and taking out NATO, USA and Afghan population from uncertainty and from ambiguity in its relation with NATO and USA. Fifth: Reopening the Kabul Bank case and at least demonstrating his governments political will to fight corruption. Sixth: Announcing the cabinet is one component of the larger reforms roadmap and agenda. However, its delay did discourage the Afghan population and badly affected the business community, investors and dysfunctional the government institutions. Even this gap became an opportunity for corrupt officials to waste time and steal money. The international community did not deliver so far the pledges they made in London Conference. Seventh: President Ghani was courage enough to remove the high ranking government officials on complaints from public. However, there were three risks associated with it: a) firing without hiring the new ones, particularly those who have been hired through civil service commission. b) there will always be some complaints about any high ranking government officials. This could become a tradition that everyone, any warlord and powerful man can gather 100 to 500 people easily for personal gains and this will engage President Ghani in internal day to day administrative affairs. c) job security became at risk and this itself will increase corruption. Eighth: Convincing the Islamic countries to invest in Afghanistan is a very good step such as KSA, UAU and Turkey.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 19:40:02 +0000