An Alan and Jane Batkin International Leaders Forum with Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah

On September 19, 2014, after an historic election and the creation of a new national unity government, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah became the new national leaders of Afghanistan, solidifying the country’s first democratic transition of power. President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah today face a series of political, economic, and security challenges, including public demands for improved domestic governance and accountability, a large and entrenched opium poppy economy, the ongoing Taliban offensive, and the drawdown of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan.

On March 26, Foreign Policy at Brookings will host a conversation with Chief Executive Officer Abdullah to discuss these challenges, the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership, and the future of Afghanistan after the departure of international forces. Michael O’Hanlon, Brookings senior fellow and co-director of the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, will provide introductory remarks, and Bruce Riedel, Brookings senior fellow and director of The Intelligence Project, will moderate the discussion. Following his remarks, Dr. Abdullah will take questions from the audience.

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