Abdullah Abdullah: Afghanistan still needs America's support

After agreeing to a U.S.-brokered deal with rival presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai to form a unity government and avert a political crisis in Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah tells CBS News his nation still needs America's support to overcome some serious challenges.

"As the lead country supporting Afghanistan, while we appreciate their support, the job is not done completely," Abdullah said. "I expect the United States to continue its support."

The doctor and former foreign minister said he is not expecting free handouts.

"The main job is for the Afghans to do it, but our partners are also expected to continue their support in a line with their commitments," he said.

The continued support is especially important for the country's business community, Abdullah said, because reinvigorating investment from both within and abroad will be crucial going forward. The presidential candidate acknowledged there are many hurdles to that though.

"There are also security issues and issues of rule of law and issues of corruption," he said. "These are the challenges that we have to overcome in order for confidence to be restored. I'm optimistic. Hopefully for the sake of the interests of Afghanistan we prove it."