Exit Abdullah, enter Spanta

The departure of Dr Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan's longest serving foreign minister, from the Hamid Karzai cabinet is being seen as the dislodging of the last foothold the Northern Alliance had in government.

The ultra-nationalist Abdullah was one of a trio of leaders, fiercely loyal to slain legendary mujahid Ahmad Shah Massood, who once ranged against the oppressive Taliban. But like the two others, Younus Qanooni and Marshal Fahim eased out in earlier reshuffles, Abdullah's Tajik credentials despite his mother being a Pashtun may be responsible for this turn of events.

Karzai is under enormous pressure from his Popalzai tribal stronghold that straddles the border, to bring Pashtun primacy back to government. Or at least to redress the tribal imbalance and bring in ministers known more for their ability than their ethnicity. This is not to say that Abdullah, Afghanistan's most vocal advocate, has not served his nation well.

Equally, Karzai's new foreign minister Rangeen Spanta neither a Tajik nor a Pashtun has big shoes to fill. The multilingual, former political science professor from Herat, educated in Turkey and Germany, has already guided Karzai through a difficult year.

He will need every ounce of diplomatic ability to finesse his way through the challenges ahead, posed by a resurgent Taliban and an increasingly antagonistic Pakistan.