Ashraf Ghani ("Fixing Failed States"): Public Finance

"Politicians, policymakers, diplomats generals find accountants boring," says Ashraf Ghani. "But without them they cannot be accountable; at times you need a lot more accountants than soldiers."

He discusses the vital importance of budget transparency and accountability, both for governments and for UN agencies such as USAID.

Ashraf Ghani played an instrumental role in the design and implementation of the post-Taliban settlement in Afghanistan.

This is an excerpt from a Carnegie Council talk on April 29, 2008. For the full video, audio, and transcript, go to http://www.carnegiecouncil.org

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Tags:

• Ashraf
• Ghani
• Fixing
• Failed
• States
• public
• finance
• government
• accountability
• USAID
• Afghanistan

[hn1983]

You're wrong. There have been many academicians who have been heads of states as well. Some examples for you. Barack Obama, Mahmoud Ahmadi Nijad, Joe Biden, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Tony Blair, Al Gore, Jamil Mahuad, Ma Ying-jeou, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Fan S. Noli, Andreas Papandreou, Pierre Trudeau, Hafizullah Amin, Marek Belka and list goes on

[Sediqi85]

a s h r a f g h a n i . a f, go to this s i t e

[Sediqi85]

Please go to the a s h r a f g h a n i . a f

[Sediqi85]

I think dr. Ashraf ghani ahmadzai is the right man to lead Afghanistan in a time like this.

[lewanai123]

He is really great, for educational institutes and leadship of Afghan country. At the moment we need for such a person.

[MasudPanjsher]

I do not know why all the heads of states are not academics. It might be that other qualifications and skills are required as a politician otherwise there would be no professors left to teach. Its good to have such intellectuals prepare students for future leadership.

[786Afghan786]

He has already proved himself to the world. His knowledge and experience can truly make him be the best new president of Afghanistan. The only problem he has it that he doesn't pall around with fools and idiots. He speaks the truth and is never afraid of it. Which makes him noble.

[MasudPanjsher]

He is an excellent intellectual and he perfectly suits to lead one of the Afghan educational institutes but he his mental and physical health unfortunately make him unsuitable for Afghan leadership. I regretfully say that he is very short tempered and that is confirmed by many national and international observers due to his unfortunate illness. The other thing is that its not necessary that every intellectual should become the leader of his/her country because other political skills are needed.