Ashraf Ghani Confirmed Winner of Afghanistan President

KABUL: (Middle East Press) Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) has confirmed Dr. Ashraf Ghani, as the winner of country’s president.

The chairman of the IEC, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, made the announcement on Sunday soon after Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, signed a power-sharing deal to end months of turmoil over the election results.

Under the deal, Abdullah is due to fill the new post of chief executive officer, which will be similar to the role of prime minister.

UN and Afghan election officials spent weeks auditing the results following the fraud claims.

Ghani, who has previously worked at the UN and the World Bank, is from a prominent Pashtun family.

His government will replace the administration of outgoing President Hamid Karzai, who has been in power since Washington and its allies invaded the country in 2001.

The new Afghan administration will have to decide on its relationship with the US-led NATO alliance, after Karzai refused to sign a security agreement that would ensure continued presence of foreign military forces in the country.