KABUL - A number of political analysts and international affairs commentators on Tuesday queried why a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had not accompanied President Ashraf Ghani on his three-nation Asia-Pacific tour.
Ghani left Kabul Saturday night for Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
Questions have however been raised as to whether Ghani is deliberately ignoring his foreign minister or whether the minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, has been sidelined due to weak performance. 
A foreign affairs ministry delegation has been noticeably absent of late during official National Unity Government (NUG) leaders’ foreign tours – particularly those involving Ghani.
On Monday, Ghani met with and signed a development partnership agreement with the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull while Afghan Minister of Economy Abdul Sattar Murad signed an agreement with the Australian foreign affairs minister. 
“I believe that the president is capable of dealing with foreign policy, but when it comes to the implementation and to the principles, then he must consider an authorized delegation from the ministry of foreign affairs during such tours,” said political analyst Intezar Khadim.
Neither the presidential palace not the ministry of foreign affairs would comment on the issue. 
“Mr Salahuddin Rabbani as a new administrator in the ministry of foreign affairs failed to present a new plan or new strategy that was needed in view of ongoing situations in Afghanistan,” said civil society activist Laila Jaffari.
This noticeable absence comes at a juncture where the performance of the NUG is under severe criticism over its failure to define a more comprehensive foreign policy.
Analysts argue that in most cases, the NUG has been in a state of confusion over defining its foreign policy - especially where regional and neighboring nations are concerned. (Tolonews)