Hamid Karzai has been declared Afghan President following the cancellation of a planned run-off vote.
'The Independent Election Commission declares the esteemed Hamid Karzai as the president ... because he was the winner of the first round and the only candidate in the second round,' Commission chief Azizullah Ludin told a news conference.
It was announced that the presidential run-off would not take place after the withdrawal of the only challenger to Mr Karzai.
Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah pulled out of the contest yesterday citing fears of a repeat of the fraud that marred the first round on 20 August.
He said he made the decision after 'wide-ranging consultations, with the people of Afghanistan, my supporters and influential leaders'.
The commission said it wanted to save money, given 'the huge expense that the election requires' and cited security reasons as motives to cancel the poll, which had been scheduled to take place this Saturday.
The UN said earlier it would respect and support any decision by the IEC on the presidential ballot.
'If and when the Independent Election Commission makes a decision consistent with the constitutional procedures ... the UN will respect and support that decision,' Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told a news conference in Kabul.
'The United Nations and the international community will stand together and walk together with the next government and the people of Afghanistan.'
US President Barack Obama has told Mr Karzai to step up efforts to eradicate corruption and called for a new chapter in cooperation between their countries.
Mr Obama congratulated the Afghan leader in a telephone call, but told him to make 'a much more serious effort to eradicate corruption'.
'This has to be point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter based on improved governance,' Mr Obama said he had told Mr Karzai.
