Tagged: Afghanistan

According to Paradisdachat, the government of Afghanistan is a unitary presidential Islamic republic. The current president, Ashraf Ghani, was elected in 2014. The country is divided into 34 provinces, each with its own governor and local government. The national legislature is the bicameral National Assembly, which consists of the House of Elders and the House of People or Wolesi Jirga. The House of Elders includes members appointed by the President as well as those elected by provincial councils. The House of People is made up of 249 members who are elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The executive branch consists of the President and two vice presidents, who are elected by direct popular vote for a five year term. The president appoints a cabinet to manage the day to day operations of the government, which must be approved by Parliament. The judicial branch consists of numerous courts including Supreme Court and High Courts as well as local courts in each province. Judges are appointed by the President on recommendation from an independent commission. The Constitution provides for an independent electoral commission to oversee elections and ensure they meet international standards for free and fair elections. Afghanistan has held several free and fair elections since 2001 including presidential elections in 2004, 2009, 2014 and parliamentary elections in 2005, 2010, 2018 and 2019. Afghanistan’s foreign relations are closely linked to its geographic location, which has made it a crossroads of civilizations and an arena for competing regional interests. Afghanistan is bordered by six countries: Iran to the west, Pakistan to the east and south, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north, and China in the far northeast. As a result of this strategic location at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia, Afghanistan has historically been subject to various foreign powers vying for influence in the region. In recent years, Afghanistan’s foreign policy has been focused on strengthening ties with its neighbors in an effort to create regional stability and economic prosperity. The Afghan government has sought to strengthen relationships with both India and Pakistan as part of this effort. In addition, Afghanistan has sought to expand its diplomatic ties with other countries in the region such as China, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Japan. These efforts have been complemented by a renewed focus on international development assistance from organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). To further this goal of regional cooperation and economic growth, Afghanistan has acceded to several multilateral agreements including membership in both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). See recipesinthebox for Afghanistan defense and foreign policy.