In an interview with www.bamdad.af, Mohammad Omar Sharifi, Kabul Director and Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Afghanistan Studies (AIAS) explains the dangerous consequences of administrative corruption in Afghanistan. He warns that without serious measures to combat corruption, the country’s survival is at risk. Following the Chicago Summit and Tokyo Conference this year, Sharifi argues that Afghanistan is now facing its last chance to tackle this issue.  “For sure, if the government does not tackle corruption seriously, it will not receive the aid committed. And this will be a disaster for the country.”

Discussions at the Chicago Summit and Tokyo Conference focused on corruption in Afghanistan and how it will affect aid.   What practical measures must the Afghan government adopt to tackle corruption? 

Discussion on corruption in Afghanistan is a discussion about the country’s survival. The existing corruption has badly damaged the Afghan government’s legitimacy, both internally and internationally. Undoubtedly, the current widespread corruption will threaten Afghanistan’s survival if not prevented.

Before the establishment of democracy in Afghanistan with backing by the international community, the country’s government structure was based on patron-client relations. The government acted as a ruler and the people were expected to be obedient. It was only obliged to ensure people’s security. But, given the new democratic system now in Afghanistan, the government obtains legitimacy through people’s votes.

So, Afghan people, and the international community which provides funds to Afghanistan, should ask the Afghan government to provide services to its citizens. But, given the traditional power structure in the country, Afghan officials still act as rulers. They think providing services for people is not their responsibility. But, in a system where people vote for the government and pay taxes, certainly they expect the government to provide them with services. 

The Afghan government has to tackle corruption and provide services for its people. First, the government should investigate all high ranking officials who are accused of corruption. Second, all administrative and criminal laws should be reformed to make government officials responsible and accountable. Third, balance should be considered in the implementation of development projects and all development projects designed over the next ten years should be implemented equally in all provinces.

Given the traditional power structure in the country, Afghan officials still act as rulers. They think providing services for people is not their responsibility. But, in a system where people vote for the government and pay taxes, certainly they expect the government to provide them with services. 

In my opinion, the government can regain its integrity before the international community as well as its domestic legitimacy if it does this. The future government [administration] should not inherit the current government in its current state.  

In your opinion, what can the Afghan government, National Assembly, judicial branch, civil society organizations, political parties and the media do in the next two years to tackle corruption?

The Afghan National Assembly is very passive and divided as a result of poor political party representation. The National Assembly proved very ineffective in summoning and disqualifying government officials who are accused of corruption. Whenever lawmakers wanted to summon a minister for his or her incompetence or corruption, he or she remained in that seat after raising ethnic and language issues, or creating conspiracies about some lawmakers.

We also witnessed the inability of judicial entities to tackle corruption or their connections with the president. Their measures against corruption sometimes become part of corruption. 

So, what is the best solution to get rid of these problems?

We should think about developing political parties and having a party-based election to establish a strong and effective National Assembly. I believe that democracy and political development in a society is possible with development of political parties. We have a divided and multi-ethnic society. Only the political parties can become countrywide entities. Amendments to the Election Law to introduce political party participation in elections is not enough, but this initiative should be praised as the first step in developing a sound Election Law and strengthening party positions.

Therefore, the current National Assembly can only have a symbolic role in tackling corruption, not an effective one. But, the role of civil society and the media is really very effective.

As civil society and media have had a key role in fighting corruption and disclosing corrupt entities and individuals, they can further play a key role by documenting corruption cases and corrupt individuals.  This could pave the way for their prosecution in the future.

If, for any reason, the current administration does not want to hold corrupt officials accountable, then documentation of corruption by civil society and the media can be a positive step. Perhaps this will allow the future administration to bring those people to justice.

The Afghan government started addressing corruption several years ago by establishing many commissions. But, this process didn’t satisfy the Afghan people or donor countries. In your opinion, what is the problem with these commissions?

In my opinion, the government didn’t have the strong will required to fight corruption. Establishing several commissions under vague and futile rules and regulations to address a single issue is confusing. They blamed each other or complained about interference in each others’ activities.

Nothing effective can be done until the rules and regulations of those entities are reviewed and reformed, and until they are given the authority to implement them freely and independently.

We should add that the entities established to tackle corruption were established for political reasons, not truly to fight this phenomenon. 

Now is the time for the Afghan government to bring those individuals to justice. Otherwise, the government should say that it is unable to do so, so that people and the international community can decide what to do about the issue.

Also, some high ranking government officials and their family members are accused of corruption. They have emerged as a symbol of corruption and are out of the grasp of prosecution because of the support of their powerful family members.

Now is the time for the Afghan government to bring those individuals to justice. Otherwise, the government should say that it is unable to do so, so that people and the international community can decide what to do about the issue.

The Afghan government blames donor countries and their contracting practices as the reason for corruption.  On the other hand, donor countries blame corruption on the Afghan government for not installing transparency. In your opinion, where does the problem lie?

The government structure was shattered during the Taliban regime and post-Taliban Afghanistan was without a structure or an administration. During that time the government did not have the capacity to receive contracts and implement big projects. The international community had to contract with private companies and individuals to implement those projects.

Despite these problems, Afghanistan has a system now. But, this system needs to be reformed and developed. For this reason, the international community committed more than 20 billon U.S. dollars to the Afghan government at the Chicago Summit and Tokyo Conference.

At the Tokyo Conference, the international community once again trusted the Afghan government and promised that this time major portions of the committed funds would be channeled through the government budget. Therefore, the Afghan government can no longer accuse foreigners of corruption, and must accept responsibility itself. The government must take advantage of this opportunity and show that it is serious in tackling corruption.

the government didn’t have the strong will required to fight corruption. Establishing several commissions under vague and futile rules and regulations to address a single issue is confusing.

The Afghan government, particularly President Karzai, has several times accused foreign countries of contributing to corruption in Afghanistan. During a message delivered at the National Assembly, he asked the United States to extradite those Afghan officials accused of corruption that live in the U.S. Is president Karzai right in this regard?

I think this is a political deal in the process of fighting corruption. The Afghan government has always escaped responsibility and accused foreigners of corruption.

While a few Afghan government officials who are accused of corruption have escaped abroad, hundreds of other corrupt high ranking officials live inside the country and continue their jobs freely. The Afghan government could bring any of them to justice now.  And then we blame foreigners for not extraditing corrupt officials back to Afghanistan? Therefore, I think such discourse from the president is a political ploy.

How much of the assistance funds committed to the Afghan government would be effective if the government fails to uphold its commitments to tackle corruption?

Definitely, it will adversely affect the process. I said before that the discussion on corruption in Afghanistan is a discussion about the country’s survival.  Afghanistan is dependent on foreign aid and the world has given another golden opportunity to Afghanistan and asks the government to fight corruption seriously. For sure, if the government does not tackle corruption seriously, it will not receive the aid committed. And this will be a disaster for the country.