Quotes from Ashraf Ghani

Money is not capital in most of the developing countries. It's just cash. Because it lacks the institutional, organizational, managerial forms to turn it into capital.

Sovereignty of Afghanistan must be accepted categorically by Pakistan so that we can move forward.

There's no place for mob justice in Afghanistan.

You know, America has profoundly shaped me, and I have two American children and unbelievably rich friendships so it will always be a source of joy and good memories.

Mecca and Medinah is a very special place in the hearts of every Muslim but particularly for every Afghan.

Middle Eastern Muslim countries are not only important for Afghanistan due to common culture and faith, but also because of economic benefits.

We need to get a stable Afghanistan that can ensure the security of Americans, Europeans, and others on the one hand, but more fundamentally our own democratic rights and institutions.

This hand is free of blood, and this hand is free from the stain of corruption.

Peace is not a luxury. Peace is a necessity.

In 2001, we didn't have an army; we had remnants of a dissolved army that had no hope. Our generals had literally become busboys.

We develop sentiments that we are only going to work with people like us. But you don't build up a nation by working with people like you. You overcome a history of conflict by reaching out to people very much unlike you.

Economics taught in most of the elite universities are practically useless in my context. My country is dominated by drug economy and a mafia. Textbook economics does not work in my context, and I have very few recommendations from anybody as to how to put together a legal economy.

Particularly the mark for success for us would be that a woman can not only walk in the streets of every major city, but can go from one province to another without any hindrance.

Organizations are accumulations of historical debris. They are not consciously thought. So when you ask the Education Ministry 'What's your core function and who's your client?' they laugh at you. When I say that the client is the Afghan child - and the Ministry is an instrument, not the goal - it's greeted with shock. It's a new idea.

The future is Afghanistan.

At the end of any peace deal, the decision-maker will be the government of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is moving to really becoming an export-oriented country.

My central objective is, turn Afghanistan's location into a greater asset. Central Asia is becoming Afghanistan's major trading partner. The vision of connectivity is really important.