ABSTRACT
Ashraf Ghani was inaugurated as president of Afghanistan on 29 September 2014, completing a transfer of power threatened by political dysfunction, a resurgent Taliban and the imminent withdrawal of NATO combat troops from the country. Work to find a long-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan had been halted by the election, which needed to reach a successful conclusion if there were to be substantive peace talks. On 30 September, the Ghani administration signed the Bilateral Security and Defence Cooperation Agreement with the United State and the Status of Forces Agreement with NATO, strengthening Afghanistan’s military and security ties with the West. On 29 December, NATO joined forces with the Afghan missions of the EU and German police. The Alliance declared that they would work to improve the self-reliance, endurance, accountability, effectiveness and professionalism of Afghanistan’s interior ministry and police.
