Ahmad Zia Massoud vs Patrice Talon

Ahmad Zia Massoud served as Afghanistan's ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2010. He worked to strengthen bilateral relations and secure Russian support for Afghanistan's reconstruction and counter-terrorism efforts.

Ahmad Zia Massoud ran as a candidate in the 2009 Afghan presidential election. He received a small percentage of the vote and later withdrew, endorsing Abdullah Abdullah in the runoff against Hamid Karzai.

Ahmad Zia Massoud was appointed First Vice President of Afghanistan under President Ashraf Ghani in 2014. He served in this role until 2020, focusing on security and reconciliation efforts, drawing on his Northern Alliance background.

As a former cotton magnate, Talon implemented reforms to liberalize Benin's cotton sector, including privatizing state-owned companies and improving farmer access to credit. These reforms boosted production and exports, making cotton a key economic driver.

Patrice Talon won the 2016 Beninese presidential election as an independent candidate, defeating incumbent Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou in a runoff. Talon, a wealthy cotton magnate, campaigned on promises to revive the economy and fight corruption.

Talon was re-elected in 2021 with over 86% of the vote, but the election was marred by opposition boycotts and allegations of repression. Critics accused Talon of authoritarian drift, including the arrest of opposition figures and restrictions on media.