Context

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah have signed a power-sharing deal, ending months of political uncertainty.

About

The power sharing deal:

• Mr Ghani and Dr Abdullah - the old rivals who both held positions in the previous government - signed the agreement.
• Ghani will remain president, but Abdullah's party will appoint half of the cabinet ministers.
• Abdullah will lead peace negotiations with the Taliban under the title of chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, according to a copy of the agreement.
• Also as part of the deal, Abdurrashid Dostum will be promoted to marshal and will gain a seat on the Afghan National Security Council.

Background:

• Afghanistan has been in political disarray since the country’s Election Commission in December announced Mr. Ghani had won the September 28 election with more than 50% of the vote.
• Ghani and Mr. Abdullah both declared themselves president in parallel inauguration ceremonies in March.
• The latest development comes days after a militant attack on a maternity ward in the capital, Kabul, left 24 people dead. Mothers, newborn babies and nurses were among the victims.
• No group has admitted carrying out the attack that shocked Afghanistan and the world.
• The deal comes as Afghan authorities are hoping to enter peace talks with the Taliban to end years of violence.

US’s role:

• A peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban signed February 29 calls for U.S. and NATO troops to leave Afghanistan.
• It was seen at the time as Afghanistan’s best chance at peace in decades of war.
• Since then, the U.S. has been trying to get the Taliban and the Afghan government to begin intra-Afghan negotiations, but the political turmoil and personal acrimony between Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah impeded talks.
• Negotiations that were to take place in March never happened.

How India reacted to the deal?

• India welcomed the power-sharing deal announced by Afghanistan between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, which ended months of political discord triggered by last year’s disputed presidential election.
• India hoped the political agreement and creation of a council for national reconciliation will result in renewed efforts for establishing enduring peace and stability, and putting an end to externally-sponsored terrorism and violence in Afghanistan.

The road ahead:

But this power-sharing pact involves the same individuals and interests, same personal and political clashes. However, multiple crises are converging now: accelerating violence, a deadly virus, and sheer hunger. Moving toward talks with the Taliban is a process fraught with deepening doubt and danger. This deal provides a political structure to build a way out of war. It has to hold fast lest it fall at the many hurdles to come.