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U.N. study: Corruption still a problem in reformed Afghanistan

By Nicholas Sakelaris
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani speak to reporters in in Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 9, 2018. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of State/Flickr
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani speak to reporters in in Kabul, Afghanistan, on July 9, 2018. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of State/Flickr

May 20 (UPI) -- Amid peace talks between the United States and Afghanistan leaders, the United Nations mission in the war-scarred nation said in a study Monday sustained efforts are still needed to weed out corruption there.

The report by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said corruption is impacting all aspects of Afghan life and eroding public trust in the government. It recommends building on past reforms and leveraging the public's help.

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"Fighting corruption remains a truly fundamental necessity in Afghanistan," U.N. special representative Tadamichi Yamamoto said in a statement. "The United Nations welcomes the progress Afghanistan has made, but all Afghan institutions, along with every segment of society, must persevere in their efforts to advance integrity, accountability and transparency in the country."

The passage of whistle-blower laws and efforts to make public information more accessible could help build public trust, the study concluded. Afghanistan has shown progress in recent years due to anti-corruption efforts -- moving up last year to No. 172 out of 180 nations on the Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index. It was No. 177 the year before.

Monday's report said corruption is a cyclical problem and the public has grown impatient after new laws and strategies have failed to produce results.

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"Corruption undermines rule of law and opens the door to more crime, creating a viscous cycle that' fosters a culture of impunity," Yamamoto said. "Even more importantly, corruption puts at risk prospects for peace, as a negotiated settlement for Afghanistan's future must be based on integrity and justice."

The U.N. Convention Against Corruption is the only legally-binding universal anti-corruption instrument. Most U.N. member nations have adopted it, including Afghanistan in 2008.

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