Ashraf Ghani

by Tony Cross

Article published on the 2009-08-09 Latest update 2009-08-11 12:11 TU

Ashraf Ghani

Ashraf Ghani, 60, is a Pashtun, who promises to fight poverty with economic development.

1949: Born in Logar province.

1973-1977: Obtains degrees at the American University in Beirut, works at Kabul University.

1977: Leaves Afghanistan, wins a degree in anthropology at Columbia University in the US.

1983-1991: Moves to the US, where he works at University of California, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University.

1991-2001: Joins the World Bank, working on projects in east Asia and south Asia, working in China, India and Russia.

2001: Returns to Afghanistan, resigning from the World Bank, to serve as chief advisor to President Hamid Karzai.

2002: Becomes Special Advisor to the UN Afghanistan representative Lakhdar Brahimi, working on the Bonn agreement, which led to the 2004 presidential election.

2002-2004: Finance Minister, designing the National Solidarity Programme of grants to villages.

2004: Turns down an offer of a cabinet post, becomes Chancellor of Kabul University.

2009: Stands as a candidate in presidential election, advocating poverty eradication through wealth creation and citizenship rights.