Ajmal Ahmady
{{short description|Afghan economist and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ajmal Ahmady
اجمل احمدی
| image = Minister Ajmal Ahmady (cropped).jpg
| caption = Ajmal Ahmady
| alt =
| order =
| office = Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank
| term_start = 3 June 2020
| term_end = 15 August 2021
| successor = Haji Mohammad Idris (acting)
| president = Ashraf Ghani
| office1 = Minister of Commerce and Industry
| term_start1 = 6 February 2019
| term_end1 = 3 June 2020
| president1 = Ashraf Ghani
| successor1 = Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani
| office2 = Senior Economic Advisor
| term_start2 = 30 January 2014
| term_end2 = 6 February 2019
| president2 = Ashraf Ghani
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|04|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kabul, Afghanistan
| birthname =
| nationality = Afghan
| party = Independent
| otherparty =
| spouse =
| children =
| residence =
| alma_mater = Harvard University (MBA, MPA/ID)
University of California, Los Angeles (BSc)
| occupation =
| profession = Economist
| cabinet =
| committees =
| portfolio =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Ajmal Ahmady (Persian/Pashto: {{lang|fa|اجمل احمدی}}) is an Afghan-American economist and politician who formerly served as the Acting Governor{{Cite web |date=November 28, 2018 |title=Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs |url=https://um.fi/documents/35732/0/Sidevent+3%3B+Bios+%281%29.pdf/94e35577-3a2c-2e00-74f9-b13b91507936?t=1606130514646 |website=2018 Geneva Conference Side Event: Economic priorities and aid effectiveness}} of the Central Bank of Afghanistan, Da Afghanistan Bank, the Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan,{{Cite news |date=2019-02-06 |title=President Ghani appoints his adviser as acting minister of industry and commerce |language=en-US |work=The Khaama Press News Agency |url=https://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-appoints-his-adviser-as-acting-minister-of-industry-and-commerce-03248/ |access-date=2022-04-19}}{{Cite web |date=2020-05-11 |title=ADB President, Afghanistan President Discuss COVID-19 Support; $40 Million Grant |url=https://www.adb.org/news/adb-president-afghanistan-president-discuss-covid-19-support-40-million-grant |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Asian Development Bank |language=en}} the Senior Economic Advisor to the President of Afghanistan, and represented Afghanistan on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline.{{Cite web |title=TAPI: Impact on Economic Development in Afghanistan and the Region |url=https://www.mfa.gov.tm/en/articles/173 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.mfa.gov.tm}}
He was born in Afghanistan and grew up in the United States. He studied at Harvard University, and worked in the fields of economic development and investment management before returning to Afghanistan in 2014 to work in senior positions within the Afghan government.
Early life
Ajmal Ahmady was born in Kabul during the same week as the Saur Revolution. He spent his childhood in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Germany, and the United States.
His father is from Ghazni Province and is a practicing doctor. His mother is a kindergarten teacher. His brother received a master's degree in finance from Oxford University.
Education
Ajmal Ahmady received two master's degree from Harvard University. He received a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School and a Master of Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School. For his masters thesis, he applied the Growth Diagnostic Framework to Afghanistan under the supervision of economist Dani Rodrik.
He received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics with minors in Computer Science and Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles.{{Cite web |title=OECD Biography |url=https://www.oecd.org/eurasia-week/whos-who/Ajmal-Ahmady-BIO.pdf}}
He is currently a Senior Fellow{{Cite web |title=M-RCBG Senior Fellows |url=https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/about/senior-fellows |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.hks.harvard.edu |language=en}} at the Mossovar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government (M-RCBG) at the Harvard Kennedy School. In this position, he teaches student seminars{{Cite web |title=Ajmal Ahmady: Afghanistan--What Happened & How to Engage the Taliban |url=https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/mrcbg/students/sg/ahmady.2021.fall |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.hks.harvard.edu |language=en}} and conducts research on Central Banking in developing economies, including in monetary policy, fintech regulation, banking supervision, reserves management, and AML/CFT compliance.{{Cite web |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=September 1, 2021 |title=Ajmal Ahmady: Research Summary |url=https://www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/centers/mrcbg/programs/senior.fellows/2021-22/Ahmady_Research%20Proposal%20(summary).pdf |website=Harvard Kennedy School}}
Career
=Economic Development and Asset Management=
Mr. Ahmady has had an extensive career at the intersection of economic development, asset management, and policy. He worked as a Microfinance Peace Corps Volunteer in the city of Kumba in Cameroon (2001-2003), the World Bank (2004), as a Senior Advisor at the Afghan Ministry of Finance (2004-2005), the US Treasury Department within the Office of International Monetary Policy researching sovereign debt restructurings (2005), ACAP Partners - an emerging markets private equity group, and Booz Allen Hamilton (2007).{{Cite web |title=OECD Biography |url=https://www.oecd.org/eurasia-week/whos-who/Ajmal-Ahmady-BIO.pdf}}
Upon graduating from Harvard University, Ahmady spent eight years in the asset management industry investing in global macro and emerging market strategies. He began as a fixed income corporate bond analyst at T. Rowe Price (2008-2009), became a sovereign CEEMA analyst at Acadian Asset Management (2009-2012), and was the sole global economist and conducted trades at various emerging market funds at Fortress Investment Group (2012-2014).
=Senior Economic Adviser to the President=
After the establishment of a National unity government, Ahmady served as the senior advisor for banking and financial affairs to President Ashraf Ghani for four years. In this position, Ahmady worked to improve the business environment, where he led commercial reform efforts, including working with global law firm DLA to make changes to Afghanistan's commercial procedure code, municipal law, insolvency law, limited liabilities law, minerals law, and hydrocarbons law. He also helped coordinate a response to improve Afghanistan's banking sector.
Due to Ahmady's efforts, Afghanistan became the World Bank's largest business reformer in 2018.{{Cite web |last=World Bank |date=2019 |title=World Bank Doing Business Report 2019 |url=https://www.doingbusiness.org/content/dam/doingBusiness/media/Annual-Reports/English/DB2019-report_web-version.pdf }} This included a significant increase in Afghanistan's position in the following categories: protecting minority investors, resolving insolvency, and starting a business.
He contributed to Afghanistan's anti-corruption agenda by drafting the national anti-corruption strategy and followed up with key anti-corruption benchmarks.{{Cite web |last=Afghan Government |title=National Anti-Corruption Strategy |url=https://18iacc.sched.com/speaker/ajmal_ahmady.1yr1nil5}} He represented Afghanistan at the 18th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Copenhagen, where he sat on a panel with then World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgia and other dignitaries.{{Cite web |title=Ajmal Ahmady's schedule for 18th International Anti-Corruption Conference |url=https://18iacc.sched.com/speaker/ajmal_ahmady.1yr1nil5 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=18iacc.sched.com}}
=Minister of Commerce and Industry=
While working as the acting minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan,{{cite web|url=https://www.kakaradvocates.com/interview-with-h-e-ajmal-ahmady-minister-of-industry-and-commerce/|title=Interview with H.E. Ajmal Ahmady, Minister of Industry and Commerce|date=August 28, 2019|website=www.kakaradvocates.com}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=https://www.adb.org/news/adb-president-afghanistan-president-discuss-covid-19-support-40-million-grant|title=ADB President, Afghanistan President Discuss COVID-19 Support; $40 Million Grant|date=May 11, 2020|website=Asian Development Bank}} Ahmady attempted reforms to boost exports, increase industrial production, and improve the business environment.
To improve trade, Ahmady created and was instrumental in leading Afghanistan's National Air Corridor Program that now exports $100 million per year to more than 50 markets around the world and renegotiating a number of transit agreements that should help to reduce transit costs for traders and helped export $1 billion for the first time in the country's history (2020).{{cite web |title=Afghanistan-India cargo flights to operate from June 15 |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-india-cargo-flights-operate-june-15-224416239.html |website=in.news.yahoo.com}}{{cite web |last=Muir |first=James |date=17 September 2018 |title=SpiceJet to operate cargo flights between Delhi and Kabul | AIR CARGO WEEK |url=https://www.aircargoweek.com/spicejet-operate-cargo-flights-delhi-kabul/}}
To improve industrial capacity, Minister Ahmady restructured the Industrial Parks Directorate, signed trilateral MOUs with our electricity provider DABS and the Chamber of Industry and Mines, and provide greater funding for the development of new industrial parks.
To improve the business environment, Minister Ahmady simplified the business licensing process and lowered the price of a business license from approximately 30,000 afghanis to only 100 afghanis.{{Cite web |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=2018-04-04 |title="Afghanistan is moving from stabilization to growth" by Ajmal Ahmady |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/international/381582-afghanistan-is-moving-from-stabilization-to-growth/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}
=Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank=
Based on presidential decree 544 on 3 June 2020, Ahmady was appointed Acting Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the central bank of Afghanistan, which regulates all banking and money handling operations in Afghanistan.{{cite web|author=Supreme Council |url=https://www.dab.gov.af/supreme-council2#:~:text=commerce%20of%20Afghanistan.-,Mr.,544%20on%203rd%20June%2C%202020.&text=Based%20on%20DAB%20Governor%20office's,1394%20and%20presidential%20decree%20No |title=Supreme Council | Da Afghanistan Bank |publisher=Dab.gov.af |date= |accessdate=2021-03-13}} His responsibilities included managing monetary policy, financial sector supervision, financial intelligence, payment systems, and banking operations.
Despite challenging circumstances, Governor Ahmady was able to maintain macroeconomic stability, including bringing inflation down from double digits to only 1.6% (as of July 2021), proving strong oversight of the financial sector, and inaugurating a real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system in December 2020. Governor Ahmady launched a successful mobile payments system, and was in the process of nationally launching the program when the Taliban overthrew the government.
He negotiated an IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program and loan of $370 million in November 2021{{Cite web |title=IMF Executive Board Approves A US$370 Million Extended Credit Facility Arrangement to Support the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |url=https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/11/06/pr20334-afghanistan-imf-executive-board-approves-a-us-370m-ecf-arrangement-to-support |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=IMF |language=en}} and led the successful first review of the program in June 2021.{{Cite book |last1=Monetary |first1=International |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MPQ_EAAAQBAJ&dq=ajmal+ahmady&pg=PA44 |title=Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: First Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |last2=Dept |first2=International Monetary Fund Middle East and Central Asia |date=2021-06-28 |publisher=International Monetary Fund |isbn=978-1-5135-8720-2 |language=en}}
Departure from Afghanistan
Ahmady left Afghanistan on an American military flight on 15 August, as the Islamic Republic collapsed in light of the 2021 Taliban offensive. As he left he posted his final experiences in a tweet that went viral. He criticised government figures Fazel Mahmood Fazly and Hamdullah Mohib for being "too inexperienced in their roles".{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-08-17 |title=Former Afghan central bank chief hints directions to not fight came from top {{!}} english.lokmat.com |url=https://english.lokmat.com/international/former-afghan-central-bank-chief-hints-directions-to-not-fight-came-from-top/ |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=Lokmat English |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=„Flugzeug hatte weder Treibstoff noch Piloten“: spektakuläre Flucht von Afghanistans Zentralbankchef aus Kabul |url=https://www.rnd.de/politik/afghanistan-spektakulaere-flucht-von-afghanistans-zentralbank-chef-aus-kabul-52MPISZABBEE5L6RQSAJZZ3R2M.html |access-date=2021-08-18 |website=www.rnd.de |language=de-DE}}{{Cite web |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=August 16, 2021 |title=Governor of Afghanistan central bank details his escape from Kabul |url=https://twitter.com/gfmag/status/1427326936074829840 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Twitter |language=en}}
Media Appearances
Governor Ahmady has given live interviews, spoken at conferences, written op-eds, interviewed in podcasts, and been featured in numerous media outlets.
His conference appearances include at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum (NEF){{Cite web |title=Speakers |url=https://www.bloombergneweconomy.com/nef2021/speakers/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Bloomberg New Economy |language=en-US}} where he spoke on a panel with former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Ian Bremmer,{{Citation |title=In Conversation with Afghanistan's Former Central Bank Governor |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFQg3IbQM0w |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}} at a Financial Times webinar with General Petraeus,{{Citation |title=Highlights of an FT subscriber webinar on Afghanistan |date=2021-08-26 |url=https://www.ft.com/video/d2bd6088-ad90-47c6-af09-ae73ce56bc85 |language=en-GB |access-date=2022-04-19}} and in India at the Indian Ocean Conference{{Citation |title=Ajmal Ahmady Advisor to President, Afghanistan at IOC-2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIh4-1s2vPE |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}} and Global Business Summit.{{Cite web |last=gbs17 |title=H.E. Ajmal Ahmady – Global Investors, Business & Leadership Summit 2020 |url=https://www.et-gbs.com/gbs2020/speakers/ajmal-ahmady/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |language=en-US}}
He has also attended multilateral forums including the IMF 2020 Annual Meetings,{{Cite web |title=Governor Statements |url=https://www.imfconnect.org/content/imf/en/meetings/AM20/governor-statements.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.imfconnect.org}} the 2018 Geneva Conference on Afghanistan,{{Citation |last=Geneva |first=U. N. |title=Geneva Conference on Afghanistan |date=2018-11-27 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/unisgeneva/46072507631/ |access-date=2022-05-30}} and the World Bank Seminar on Policy Challenges for the Financial Sector;{{Cite web |title=World Bank Seminar: Policy Challenges for the Financial Sector |url=https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/217561605709839723-0130022020/original/Nov2020ListofParticipantsFinal1112v2.pdf}} as well as spoken at numerous think tanks, including describing economic reforms at the Wilson Center (2018),{{Cite web |title=What's Next for Afghanistan's Economy? |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/whats-next-for-afghanistans-economy |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.wilsoncenter.org |language=en}} investment opportunities at the Heritage Foundation (2019),{{Cite web |title=Recent Business Reform and Opportunities for Trade and Investment in Afghanistan |url=https://www.heritage.org/international-economies/event/recent-business-reform-and-opportunities-trade-and-investment |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019023535/https://www.heritage.org/international-economies/event/recent-business-reform-and-opportunities-trade-and-investment |url-status=unfit |archive-date=October 19, 2019 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Heritage Foundation |language=en}} and the collapse of the government at the Atlantic Council (2021).{{Cite web |title=A special event with Afghanistan's former Central Bank Governor, Ajmal Ahmady |url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/a-special-event-with-afghanistans-former-central-bank-governor-ajmal-ahmady/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Atlantic Council |language=en-US}}
In his Op-Eds, he outlined three internal and three external factors that led to Afghanistan's collapse in Foreign Affairs,{{Cite news |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=2022-03-30 |title=Why Afghanistan Fell |journal=Foreign Affairs |language=en-US |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/afghanistan/2021-10-11/why-afghanistan-fell |access-date=2022-04-19 |issn=0015-7120}} has argued for continued engagement in Afghanistan in the Financial Times,{{Cite news |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=2021-08-24 |title=Afghanistan faces an economic crisis, as well as a humanitarian one |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6395d167-3175-4332-8329-ae1478c616ca |access-date=2022-04-19}} has outlined continued challenges that the Taliban would face in Bloomberg,{{Cite news |date=2021-09-07 |title=The Taliban Can't Print Cash and Other Afghan Business Challenges |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-09-07/the-taliban-can-t-mint-money-and-other-business-challenges-in-afghanistan |access-date=2022-04-19}} highlighted earlier positive economic reforms in The Hill,{{Cite web |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=2018-04-04 |title="Afghanistan is moving from stabilization to growth" by Ajmal Ahmady |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/international/381582-afghanistan-is-moving-from-stabilization-to-growth/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}} and outlined financial sector reforms in Bahktar News.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-31 |title=AFGHANISTAN FINANCIAL SECTOR – Amid Pandemic and Political Fragility |url=https://bakhtarnews.af/en/afghanistan-financial-sector-amid-pandemic-and-political-fragility/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Bakhtar News Agency |language=en-US}}
In his television and online interviews, he has described Afghanistan's challenges and his escape from the country in CNN,{{Cite web |author=Matt Egan |title=Former Afghan central banker describes 'complete chaos' of fleeing the country, with one shoe and no bags |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/20/investing/afghanistan-central-banker-ajmal-ahmady/index.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=CNN|date=20 August 2021 }} Sky News,{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan's central bank governor tells of his escape as the Taliban closed in on Kabul |url=https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistans-central-bank-governor-tells-of-his-escape-as-the-taliban-closed-in-on-kabul-12384019 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Sky News |language=en}} BBC,{{Cite news |date=2021-08-17 |title=US left too quickly, says Afghanistan bank governor |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58252065 |access-date=2022-04-19}} TRT World,{{Citation |title=Can the Taliban succeed where president Ghani failed? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-4Gp2xXHe0 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}} G-Zero Media,{{Cite web |title=GZERO Media |url=https://www.gzeromedia.com/tag/ajmal-ahmady |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=GZERO Media |language=en}} and WION News.{{Citation |title=WION Exclusive: Afghan commerce minister says, 'India is our one of the largest trading partner' |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=635CDxnPWe0 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}}
He has been able to provide greater detail of his time as Acting Governor of DAB in various podcasts, including in Bloomberg Odd Lots,{{Cite web |title=Odd Lots: A Conversation With Ajmal Ahmady, Afghanistan's Former Central Bank Chief on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-conversation-with-ajmal-ahmady-afghanistans/id1056200096?i=1000532783513 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=2021-08-23 |title=A Conversation With Ajmal Ahmady, Afghanistan's Former Central Bank Chief |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-23/a-conversation-with-ajmal-ahmady-afghanistan-s-former-central-bank-chief |access-date=2022-04-19}} Mercatus Center Macro Musings,{{Cite web |last=David |first=Beckworth |title=Ajmal Ahmady on the Afghan Economy and the Challenges Facing the Nation's Future |url=https://www.mercatus.org/bridge/podcasts/11152021/ajmal-ahmady-afghan-economy-and-challenges-facing-nation’s-future |website=Mercatus Macro Musings}} and Schroder's 'Running a Central Bank with the Taliban at the Door.'{{Cite web |title=Running a central bank with the Taliban at the door – with Ajmal Ahmady |url=https://www.schroders.com/en/uk/the-value-perspective/blog/all-blogs/Running-a-central-bank-with-the-Taliban-at-the-door-with-ajmal-Ahmady/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Running a central bank with the Taliban at the door – with Ajmal Ahmady |language=en}} He was able to provide his personal experiences and economic views in NPR's Planet Money{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan's economy is in trouble after the Taliban took control |url=https://www.wbur.org/npr/1042209244/afghanistans-economy-is-in-trouble-after-the-taliban-took-control |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.wbur.org |language=en}} and Marketplace.{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan's Money Problem : Planet Money |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/09/15/1037594470/afghanistans-money-problem |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=NPR.org |language=en}}
Governor Ahmady's work and commentary have been referenced around the world in global publications, including the New York Times,{{Cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Eshe |last2=Rappeport |first2=Alan |date=2021-08-18 |title=U.S. and I.M.F. Apply a Financial Squeeze on the Taliban |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/business/afghan-central-bank.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |issn=0362-4331}} Wall Street Journal,{{Cite news |last=Wechsler |first=Josh Lipsky and William F. |date=2021-08-18 |title=Opinion {{!}} Will the IMF Bankroll the Taliban? |language=en-US |work=Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/imf-bankroll-taliban-central-bank-afghanistan-biden-withdrawal-covid-aid-11629302867 |access-date=2022-04-19 |issn=0099-9660}} Bloomberg,{{Citation |title=Afghan Central Bank Chief Warns of Economic Crisis |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bLAjvKnlO4 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-19}} National Interest,{{Cite web |last=Filseth |first=Trevor |date=2021-09-15 |title=Afghanistan Headed for Financial Collapse, Former Bank Chief Warns |url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/afghanistan-headed-financial-collapse-former-bank-chief-warns-193713 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The National Interest |language=en}} CNBC,{{Cite web |last=Franck |first=Thomas |date=2021-08-18 |title=U.S. won't let Taliban access Afghanistan's financial assets held in America |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/18/us-wont-let-taliban-access-afghanistans-financial-assets-held-in-america.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=CNBC |language=en}} Axios,{{Cite web |last=Marino |first=Kate |date=2021-09-13 |title=Afghanistan's cash problem is intensifying a humanitarian crisis |url=https://www.axios.com/afghanistan-cash-currency-afghani-taliban-crisis-6166b014-f935-4328-a089-40b3356ed68b.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Axios |language=en}} Al-Jazeera,{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan's currency falls to record low amid ongoing turmoil |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/17/as-afghanistans-central-bank-governor-flees-currency-drops |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}} Nikkei Asia,{{Cite web |title=Afghan central bank chief flees Kabul as he blames chaos on Ghani |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Afghanistan-turmoil/Afghan-central-bank-chief-flees-Kabul-as-he-blames-chaos-on-Ghani |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}} Japan Times,{{Cite web |last=Ahmady |first=Ajmal |date=2021-09-08 |title=The Taliban have their economic work cut out for them |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2021/09/08/commentary/world-commentary/afghan-business-challenges/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Japan Times |language=en-US}} Radio Free Europe,{{Cite news |title=Exiled Afghan Central Bank Chief Says Taliban-Led Government Faces Major Economic Shocks |url=https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-economy-/31423361.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |newspaper=Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty |language=en}} Economic Times of India,{{Cite news |title=Afghan central bank says $9 billion reserves abroad |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/afghan-central-bank-says-9b-reserves-abroad/articleshow/85426961.cms |access-date=2022-04-19}} Asia Money,{{Cite web |date=2021-08-23 |title=Afghanistan: Central bank governor talks about 'mayhem and chaos' |url=https://www.asiamoney.com/article/28ygvl56nznabfusfti4g/asiamoney/afghanistan-central-bank-governor-talks-about-mayhem-and-chaos |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Asiamoney |language=en}} TRT World,{{Cite web |title=US freezes poor Afghanistan's assets after Taliban takeover |url=https://www.trtworld.com/asia/us-freezes-poor-afghanistan-s-assets-after-taliban-takeover-49275 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=US freezes poor Afghanistan's assets after Taliban takeover |language=en}} Les Echos in France,{{Cite web |date=2021-08-17 |title=Le récit effrayant du patron de la banque centrale d'Afghanistan |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/finance-marches/marches-financiers/afghanistan-le-recit-effrayant-du-patron-de-la-banque-centrale-1339323 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Les Echos |language=fr}} Independent U.K.,{{Cite web |date=2021-08-18 |title=Afghan central bank chief 'feels terrible' leaving staff behind to flee |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/afghan-central-bank-chief-ghani-kabul-b1904422.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=The Independent |language=en}} Khaleej Times,{{Cite web |last=John |first=Issac |title=Afghan central bank chief flees as currency drops |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/afghan-central-bank-chief-flees-as-currency-drops |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Khaleej Times |language=en}} Straits Times of Singapore,{{Cite web |last=Auto |first=Hermes |date=2021-08-17 |title=Afghan central bank chief flees Kabul, blaming President Ghani for chaos {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/afghan-central-bank-chief-flees-kabul-blaming-president-ghani-for-chaos |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}} Irish Times,{{Cite news |last1=Delhi |first1=Amy Kazmin in New |last2=Washington |first2=Katrina Manson in |title=Mistrust and mysterious surrenders: how Kabul fell to the Taliban |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/mistrust-and-mysterious-surrenders-how-kabul-fell-to-the-taliban-1.4650943 |access-date=2022-04-19 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}} Money Control,{{Cite web |title=Afghan central bank chief Ajmal Ahmady flees Kabul, blaming President Ashraf Ghani for chaos |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world/afghan-central-bank-chief-ajmal-ahmady-flees-kabul-blaming-president-ashraf-ghani-for-chaos-7351141.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Moneycontrol |language=en}} Turkish Press,{{Cite web |date=2021-08-17 |title=Afganistan Merkez Bankası Başkanı Ajmal Ahmady kaçış hikayesini anlattı: Meslektaşlarım beni uçağa itti |url=https://www.sondakika.com/ekonomi/haber-afganistan-merkez-bankasi-baskani-ajmal-ahmady-14337316/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Son Dakika |language=tr}} and German Press publications.{{Cite web |title=Afghanischer Zentralbankchef: Taliban ohne Zugriff auf Staatsgelder |url=https://www.t-online.de/-/90645858 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.t-online.de |date=18 August 2021 |language=de}}
He has also given briefings to representatives of the U.S. Treasury Department, U.S. State Department, and the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance. Governor Ahmady was referenced in a letter that Portman and Rubio sent to the U.S. Treasury.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-30 |title=Portman, Rubio Urge Treasury to Resist the Release of Internationally-Held Reserves to the Taliban |url=https://www.portman.senate.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/portman-rubio-urge-treasury-resist-release-internationally-held-reserves |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Senator Rob Portman |language=en}}
Personal life
Ahmady is an Afghan Muslim.
References
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External links
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- {{Twitter}}
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Category:Governors of Da Afghanistan Bank
Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni
Category:Harvard Business School alumni
Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Category:People from Ghazni Province
Category:Afghan government officials