No cabinet in sight as Ghani marks 100 days as Afghan president

Three months after a drawn-out and controversial election, analysts give Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's performance mixed marks. While they credit him for his work ethic and eagerness to make necessary changes, the former finance minister and World Bank economist is also under fire for failing to form a cabinet at a crucial time for the country.

Ghani came to power in September 2014, following a disputed poll overshadowed by fraud claims which only ended when he and his electoral rival Abdullah Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal to form a national unity government. The US-brokered agreement also created the position of chief executive officer, a post akin to prime minister, which was filled by Abdullah.

One of Ghani's first acts during his first 100 days in office was to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States, which former Afghan President Hamid Karzai had refused to sign. The BSA not only ensured that US and NATO troops could remain in Afghanistan, but also removed a significant thorn in the US-Afghanistan relationship.

The US-brokered agreement between Ghani and Abdullah created the position of chief executive officer

A 'welcome change'

Furthermore, Ghani spent his first two months acting on a clear reform agenda. He not only announced plans for sweeping political changes, but also re-opened an investigation into the Kabul Bank scandal, all of which were well received. The president also spent a good deal of time traveling abroad seeking to convince key allies that he was serious about implementing these changes.

"All in all Ghani has in many respects established himself as a welcome change from his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. He has proven to be a tireless worker and extremely hands-on and done well managing, at least publically, the awkward power-sharing arrangement hatched with CEO Abdullah Abdullah," Jason Campbell, an international security expert at the US-based RAND Corporation, told DW.

The problem is that Ghani, while being decisive and reform-oriented, has so far acted alone. He has failed to agree on a cabinet with Abdullah. While this may have allowed Ghani to act with a great deal of flexibility and decisiveness in the short-term, analysts believe that the ensuing problems may quickly undermine the legitimacy of this government and the two men who are supposed to lead it.

No ministers

Moreover, experts are of the view that the political vacuum also threatens to hamper the fight against a resurgent insurgency. According to media reports, many Afghans are attributing the ongoing economic and security crisis to the fact that no ministers have been appointed to oversee these important ministries.

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No cabinet in sight as Ghani marks 100 days as Afghan president