Corruption Rots Afghanistan Government from Inside: John Sopko
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, John F. Sopko has warned over corruption in Afghanistan.
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, John F. Sopko has warned over corruption in Afghanistan.
“The war in Afghanistan will not end if corruption is not fought and this phenomenon should not be a second priority,” Mr Sopko said.
Spoko was addressing the fourth Annual Anti-Corruption Conference of European Union (EU) in Kabul on Tuesday.
The conference was also attended by President Ashraf Ghani, EU Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon, participants from official institutions, the international community, civil society, private sector, students, and media.
“With Corruption, the government of Afghanistan will decay from inside,” he emphasized.
President Ghani accepted the existence of corruption in governmental institutions and once again committed to seriously fight against it.
“We need a fundamental shift now that we have done our first significant installment of reform. The Afghan private sector is ready,” the President said.
Ghani emphasized that Afghanistan’s internal revenues will have to reach $8 billion by 2024 and the business balance must be changed.
The European Union’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Pierre Mayaudon said, if corruption did not be eliminated, peace and stability will not be provided in Afghanistan.
“The most vulnerable in society, already suffering more than others from the never-ending climate of violence and harsh economic conditions, are worst hit by the effects of corruption. Corruption is a stab in the back of the front line soldier who doesn’t receive his food, fuel or ammunition because it has been pilfered along the supply chain,” Mayaudon said.
Corruption is one of the major challenges facing the new government in Afghanistan, which has not been eradicated by the government during 17 years.
