Following the appointment of Chief of Staff Shakir Kargar on Monday, President Ghani appoints former economy minister and head of Hezb-e-Islami political party Hadi Arghandiwal as acting finance minister.
Presidential adviser Waheed Omer in a tweet said the process of appointing new cabinet members will continue, and they will be sent to the parliament for a vote of confidence once all of the cabinet is appointed.
The Presidential Palace says the coronavirus crisis has hindered the formation of the new cabinet, but added that the process will continue.
“As the president of Afghanistan committed to the formation of an all-favorable cabinet with the introduction of the acting finance minister and the nominee for the finance ministry, the appointment of the new cabinet will continue,” a presidential spokesman Latif Mahmoud said.
This comes as US Secretary Mike Pompeo in a phone call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the “need for Afghan leaders to form an inclusive govt that makes reaching a political settlement a priority and bolsters the security of the state,” US State Department said in a statement.