KABUL, March 9 -- Incumbent Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second five-year term on Monday, while his main election rival and government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah also held a parallel presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Afghanistan's Chief Justice Sayed Yousuf Haleem administered Ghani's swearing-in ceremony at the fortified Presidential Palace.

"The election process has ended... today I call on every Afghan, men, women, child and youth, particularly on political band that this government is yours," Ghani said in his speech after taking the oath.

"The division time has passed, today is the day of juncture, and today is the day of unity," Ghani said.

The ceremony was attended by hundreds of Afghan and foreign guests including U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, Commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission and U.S. forces Gen. Austin Scott Miller and ambassadors from China, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Germany, Canada, Italy among others.

At the same ceremony, Amrullah Saleh and Mohammad Sarwar Danish also took the oath of office as first and second vice president respectively.

Ghani issued the first presidential decree shortly after taking the oath, appointing Mohammad Yousuf Ghazanfar as the president's special envoy on development, economic, commercial and alleviation of poverty affairs.

The 71-year-old Ghani called on his political rivals to assist him in building a united and strong Afghanistan.

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