Cabinet of Afghanistan

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The Cabinet of Afghanistan is made of the heads of all the government ministries. The president selects the members of cabinet with the approval of the National Assembly of the country.

Current cabinet of ministers

Main article: Second Karzai cabinet

After winning a second term, President Hamid Karzai nominated 23 ministers in December 2009 to be part of his new administration but only 7 were approved by the Afghan Parliament. All the other candidates that Karzai initially selected were rejected by members of the parliament.[1] Karzai presented a second list of 18 candidates to the Wolesi Jirga on 9 January 2010. A week later, the Wolesi Jirga again approved only seven of the candidates.[2] Since then, part of the ministry's have been governed by acting ministers who do not held approval of the Afghan legislature.

In June 2010, after the resignation of Interior Minister Hanif Atmar, President Karzai submitted 7 names for a third round of confirmation in the parliament. Five of them were approved by the Afghan Parliament, leaving only six of the 25 ministries left with an 'acting minister.' [3] In the line chart below is the list of members of the current Afghan Cabinet (2009–2014).[4]

Portfolio Name Years Status
President Ashraf Ghani 2014-2019 Chosen by electorate
First Vice President Mohammed Fahim 2009-2014 Chosen by electorate, died March 2014
Yunus Qanuni 2014-2014 Approved by Parliament
Second Vice President Karim Khalili 2009-2014 Chosen by electorate
Foreign Affairs Minister Zalmai Rassoul 2010-2013 Resigned in 2013 to run for president
Zarar Ahmad Moqbel 2013-2014 Approved by Parliament
Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak 2010-2012 Voted out of office by Parliament in 2012
General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi 2012-2014 Approved by Parliament
Interior Minister Hanif Atmar 2010-2010 Resigned June 2010
Bismillah Khan Mohammadi 2010-2012 Approved by Parliament, voted out of office by Parliament in 2012
Mujtaba Patang 2012-2013 Was voted out of office by Parliament in 2013
Mohammad Omar Daudzai 2013-2014 Approved by Parliament
Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Economic Minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Justice Minister Habibullah Ghaleb 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament, died in March 2014
Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sayed Makhdum Raheen 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Higher Education Minister Sarwar Danesh 2010-2012 Rejected by Parliament, served ad acting minister
Obaidaullah Obaid 2012-2014 Rejected by Parliament in 2010, but in 2012 nomated again and approved
Trade and Commerce Minister Ghulam Mohammad Eelaqi 2010-2010 Rejected by Parliament, served as acting minister
Anwar ul-Haq Ahady 2010-2013 Approved by Parliament, resigned in 2013 to run for president
Mohammad Shakir Kargar 2013-2014 Approved by Parliament
Water and Energy Minister Ismail Khan 2010-2013 Rejected by Parliament in 2010, served as acting minister, spproved in 2012. Resigned in 2013 to become running mate of Abdurrab Rasul Sayaf.
Mohammad Arif Noorzai 2013-2014 Approved by Parliament
Transportation and Aviation Minister Mohammadulla Batash 2010-2010 Rejected by Parliament, served half a year as acting minister
Daoud Ali Najafi 2010-2014 Rejected in 2010, served as acting minister, approved by Parliament in 2012 [5]
Public Works Minister Sohrab Ali Saffary 2010-2010 Never proposed to parliament, acting minister until 2010
Abdul Qadus Hamidi 2010-2012 Approved by Parliament in 2010
Najibullah Aoudjan 2012-2014 Approved by Parliament
Women's Affairs Minister Husn Bano Ghazanfar 2010-2014 Rejected by Parliament in 2010, served as acting minister and approved in 2012
Haj and Islamic Affairs Minister Mohammad Yousuf Neyazi 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Public Health Minister Soraya Dalil 2010-2014 Rejected by Parliament in 2010, served as Acting Minister, Approved in 2012[5]
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Asef Rahimi 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Mines Minister Waheedullah Sharani 2010-2013 Approved by Parliament, Resigned in 2013 to become running mate to Quayum Karzai.
Mohammad Akbar Barakzai 2013-2014 Approved by parliament
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Amirzai Sangin 2010-2014 Rejected by Parliament in 2010, served as Acting Minister, Approved in 2012
Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Jarullah Mansouri 2010-2012 Approved by Parliament
Wais Ahmad Barmak 2012-2014 Approved by Parliament[5]
Work, Social Affairs, Martyred and Disabled Minister Amina Afzali 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Border Affairs and Tribal Affairs Minister Arsala Jamal 2010-2010 Rejected by Parliament, served as acting minister
Assadullah Khalid 2010-2012 Approved by Parliament
Azizullah Din Mohammad 2012-2013 Rejected by parliament, served as acting minister
Akram Khpalwak 2013-2014 Approved by parliament
Urban Development Minister Sultan Hussain 2010-2012 Rejected by parliament, served as acting minister
Hasan Abdullahai 2012-2014 Approved by Parliament[5]
Counter Narcotics Minister Zarar Ahmad Moqbel 2010-2013 Approved by Parliament, resigned in 2013 to become Foreign Affairs Minister
Mobarez Rashidi 2014-2014 Approved by Parliament
Refugees and Repatriation Minister Abdul Rahim 201-2010 Rejected by parliament, served as acting minister
Jamahir Anwari 2010-2014 Approved by Parliament
Chief of the National Directorate of Security Amrullah Saleh
Rahmatullah Nabil
Resigned in 2010
Acting head since 2010
National Security Advisor Rangeen Dadfar Spanta

Previous administrations

Karzai administration 2004–2009

In the line chart below is the list of members of the Afghan Cabinet from 2004 to 2009.[6][7]

Portfolio Minister Years Notes
President Hamid Karzai 2004-2009
First Vice President Ahmad Zia Massoud 2004-2009
Second Vice President Karim Khalili 2004-2009
Senior Minister Hedayat Amin Arsala 2006-2009 Post didn't exist prior to 2006
Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah
Rangin Dadfar Spanta
2004-2006
2006-2009[8]
Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak 2004-2009
Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali
Ahmad Moqbel Zarar
Mohamad Hanif Atmar
2004-2005[9]
2005-2008
2008-2009
Finance Minister Anwar ul-Haq Ahady
Omar Zakhilwal
2005-2009[10]
2009-2009
Economic Minister Mohammad Amin Farhang
Mohammad Jalil Shams
2004-2006
2006-2009
[8][11]
Justice Minister Sarwar Danish 2004-2009
Youth Minister
Information and Culture Minister
Culture and Youth Affairs Minister
.
Amina Afzali
Sayed Makhdum Rahin
Sayed Makhdum Rahin
Abdul Karim Khoram
2004-2006
2004-2006
2006-2006
2006-2009
Position merged with Minister of Culture in 2006
Position merged with Minister of Youth in 2006
Combination of the posts of minister of Youth Affairs and minister of Information and Culture
Education minister Noor Mohammad Qarqeen
Mohamad Hanif Atmar
Ghulam Farooq Wardak
2004-2006
2006-2008
2008-2009[8]
Higher Education Minister Ameer Shah Hasanyaar
Mohammad Azam Dadfar
[9][11] 2004-2006
2006-2009
Commerce Minister
Commerce and Industries Minister
.
.
Hedayat Amin Arsala
Mohammad Amin Farhang
Mohammad Haidar Reza
Wahidullah Shahrani
2004-2006[8]
2006-?
?-2008
2008-2009
Industries in 2006 transferred from portofolio of Mines to portofolio of Commerce
Water and Energy Minister Ismail Khan 2004-2009
Transportation and Aviation Minister Enayatullah Qasemi
Nimatullah Ehsan Jawed
Hamidullah Qaderi
Omar Zakhilwal
Hamidullah Farooqi
2004-2006
2006-2008
2008?-2008
2008-2009
2009-2009
[8][11]
Women's Affairs Minister Masooda Jalal
Husn Bano Ghazanfar
2004-2006
2006-2009
Haj and Islamic Affairs Minister Nematullah Shahrani 2004-2009
Public Welfare Minister Sohrab Ali Saffari 2004-2009
Public Health Minister Mohammad Amin Fatemi 2004-2009
Agriculture Minister Obaidullah Ramin
Mohammad Asef Rahimi
2004-2008
2008-2009
[8][11]
Mines and Industries Minister
Mines Minister
Mir Mohammad Sediq
Ibrahim Adel
2004-2006
2006-2009
Communications Minister Amirzai Sangin 2004-2009
Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Mohamad Hanif Atmar
Ehsan Zia
2004-2006
2006-2009
[8]
Work and Social Affairs Minister
Martyrs and Disabled Minister
Work, Social Affairs, Martyred and Disabled Minister
Sayed Ikramuddin Masoomi
Sediqa Balkhi
Noor Mohammad Qarqeen
2004-2006
2004-2006
2006-2009
The Ministry of Disabled and Martyrs was merged with the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2006
Border Affairs and Tribal Affairs Minister Azam Dadfar
Abdul Karim Barahawi
2004-2008
2008-2009
Urban Development Minister Yousef Pashtun 2004-2009
Counter Narcotics Minister Habibullah Qaderi
General Khodaydad
2004-2008
2008-2009
Refugees and Repatriation Minister Azam Dadfar <br? Sher Mohammad Etebari
Abdul Karim Barahawi
2004-?
?-2009
2009-2009
Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Aloko
Afghan National Security Adviser Zalmai Rassoul

Afghan Transitional Administration

The Bonn conference of December 2001 had installed an interim government, the 2002 Loya Jirga subsequently elected a transitional administration. From July 2002 until the presidential elections in October 2004, the Transitional Administration governed Afghanistan.

Transitional Afghan Ministers[12]
Transitional
Authority
Position
Name Ethnicity Incumbent/New
President Hamid Karzai Pashtun Incumbent (before chairman)
Vice-President and
Defense Minister
Mohammed Fahim Tajik Incumbent
Vice-President Karim Khalili Hazara New
Vice-President Hedayat Amin Arsala Pashtun New (was Finance Minister)
Vice-President and
Public Works Minister
Abdul Qadir
Abdul Ali
Pashtun
New (was Urban Affairs Minister) (killed on July 6, 2002)
New (Ali only took over the Public Works portfolio after July 6, 2002
Vice-President and
head of the Afghan Constitution Commission
Nematullah Shahrani Uzbek New
Special Advisor on Security and
Education Minister
Yunus Qanooni Tajik Incumbent (Special Advisor on Security is new post)
Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah Tajik Incumbent
Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Pashtun New
Interior Minister Taj Mohammed Wardak
Ali Ahmad Jalali
Pashtun
Pashtun
New
New (Jalali replaced Wardak in January 2003)
Planning Minister Mohammed Mohaqqeq Hazara Incumbent (but lost role as vice-chair)
Communications Minister Masoom Stanakzai Pashtun New
Borders Minister Arif Nurzai Pashtun New (was Small Industries Minister)
Refugees Minister Intayatullah Nazeri Tajik Incumbent
Mines Minister Juma Muhammad Muhammadi Pashtun New
Light Industries Minister Mohammed Alim Razm Uzbek Incumbent
Health Minister Sohaila Siddiqi Pashtun Incumbent
Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kasemi Shiite Muslim Incumbent
Agriculture Minister Sayed Hussain Anwari Hazara Incumbent
Justice Minister Abbas Karimi Uzbek Incumbent
Information and Culture Minister Saeed Makhdoom Rahim Tajik Incumbent
Reconstruction Minister Mohammed Fahim Farhang Pashtun Incumbent
Haj and Mosques Minister Mohammed Amin Naziryar Pashtun New
Urban Affairs Minister Yusuf Pashtun
Gul Agha Sherzai
Pashtun
Pashtun
New
New (Sherzai took over on August 16, 2003)
Water and Power Minister Ahmed Shakar Karkar Uzbek Incumbent (but los role as Vice-chair)
Irrigation & Environment Minister Ahmed Yusuf Nuristani Pashtun New
Martyrs and Disabled Minister Abdullah Wardak Pashtun Incumbent
Higher Education Minister Sharif Faez Tajik Incumbent
Civil Aviation & Tourism Minister Mir Wais Saddiq Tajik New (was Labor and Social Affairs Minister)
Transportation Minister Saeed Mohammed Ali Jawad Shiite Muslim
Rural Development Minister Hanif Asmar Pashtun New
Labor and Social Affairs Minister Noor Mohammad Qarqin
Woman's Affairs Minister Habiba Sarabi New
Supreme Court Chief Justice Hadi Shinwari Pashtun
Security Advisor Zalmay Rassoul
State or Advisor-Minister for Women's Affairs Mahbooba Hoquqmal
Governor of the Afghan Central Bank Anwar ul-Haq Ahadi Pashtun

Afghan interim administration

Following the ouster of the Taliban regime approximately two dozen leading Afghans met in Germany at the Bonn Conference to choose a leadership and set in place a timeline for the adoption of a new constitution for a new Afghan government, and the timeline for choosing an executive and legislature by democratic election.[12] In the chart below is the list of members of the Interim and Transitional Afghan authority (20 December 2001 – October 2004). The Afghan Interim Administration (AIA) was the first administration of Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban regime and was the highest authority of the country from 22 December 2001 until 13 July 2002.

Interim Ministers[12]
Interim
Administration
Position
Name Ethnicity Notes
Chairman Hamid Karzai Pashtun Independent Pashtun tribal leader in exile in Pakistan
Vice-Chair and
Defense Minister
Mohammed Fahim Tajik Defense Minister of the United Islamic Front
Vice–Chair and
Women's Affairs
Sima Samar Hazara Founder of the Shuhada Organization and Shuhada Clinic in Quetta, Rome Group.
Vice-Chair and
Planning Minister
Mohammed Mohaqqeq Hazara Warlord fighting against the Taliban for the People's Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan in the United Islamic Front
Vice-Chair and
Water and Energy Minister
Ahmed Shakar Karkar Uzbek United Islamic Front
Vice-Chair and
Finance Minister
Hedayat Amin Arsala Pashtun Foreign Minister of the Islamic State of Afghanistan in the 90s. Rome group.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah Tajik Foreign Minister of the United Islamic Front
Interior Minister Yunus Qanooni Tajik Interior Minister of the United Islamic Front
Communications Minister Abdul Rahim Tajik United Islamic Front
Borders Minister Amanullah Zadran Pashtun Taliban leader, who defected after the American invasion, Rome Group
Refugees Minister Intayatullah Nazeri Tajik United Islamic Front
Small Industries Minister Aref Noozari Pashtun United Islamic Front
Mines and Industry Minister Mohammed Alim Razm Uzbek United Islamic Front
Health Minister Sohaila Siddiqi Pashtun Has been in the governments of king Mohammed Zahir Shah and the communist regime of the 1970s and 1980s. Independent
Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kasemi Shiite Muslim Spokesmen and leader of United National Front
Agriculture Minister Sayed Hussain Anwari Hazara Chief military commander of the Harakat-e Islami in the United National Front
Justice Minister Abbas Karimi Uzbek United Islamic Front
Information and Culture Minister Saeed Makhdoom Rahim Tajik Poet and writer, Rome group
Reconstruction Minister Mohammed Fahim Farhang Pashtun Rome Group
Haj and Mosques Minister Mohammad Hanif Balkhi Tajik Independent
Urban Affairs Minister Abdul Qadir Pashtun Leader in the United National Front for the Hezb-e Islami Khalis faction
Public Works Minister Abdul Khalig Fazal Pashtun Rome group
Irrigation Minister Mangal Hussein Pashtun Previously warlord for the Hezbi Islami Gulbuddin, Peshawar group
Martyrs and Disabled Minister Abdullah Wardak Pashtun Leader in the United National Front for the Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan
Higher Education Minister Sharif Faez Tajik United Islamic Front
Civil Aviation & Tourism Minister Abdul Rahman Tajik Member of United Islamic Front, but he threw his support to former king Zahir Shah and became a member of the Rome Group
Labor and Social Affairs Mir Wais Saddiq Tajik Son of influential warlords Ismail Khan, United Islamic Front
Transportation Minister Sultan Hamid Sultan Hazara
Education Minister Abdul Rassoul Amin Member of the National Islamic Front and the Rome group.
Rural Development Minister Abdul Malik Anwar Tajik United Islamic Front

References

  1. Rubin, Alissa J. (4 January 2010). "Standoff Builds Over Afghan Cabinet". The New York Times (Afghanistan). Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  2. "Afghan parliament approves 7 new ministers". News.xinhuanet.com. 16 January 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  3. "Afghanistan Online: Cabinet of ministers". Afghan-web.com. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  4. "Members of President Hamid Karzai's Cabinet". Afghan-web.com. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Press release by the Government Media & Information Center of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 6 March 2012, 11:10 h
  6. "Afghanistan Online: Members of President Hamid Karzai's Cabinet". Afghan-web.com. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  7. Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments CIA World Leaders, 30 March 2009
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 "Cabinet Biographies". Afghanembassyjp.com. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Short Biographies of Afghanistan new Cabinet members". Mashreqi.net. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  10. Short biography of the Minister Professor Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "President Hamid Karzai's new cabinet". Institute-for-afghan-studies.org. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Thomas H. Johnson (February 2006). "The Prospects for Post-Conflict Afghanistan: A Call of the Sirens to the Country’s Troubled Past" (PDF) V (2). Strategic Insights. Retrieved 2009-06-29. mirror