KABUL - Corruption monitoring groups said Sunday that the Afghan government's counter-corruption policies will dominate the agenda at the upcoming NATO heads-of-state summit in Warsaw.
At the summit, from the 8th to the 9th of July, the Kabul government will be expected to outline more inclusive anti-graft measures. This will be a condition for ensuring continued international financial and military aid for Afghanistan.
The Afghan political leadership has also been asked to finalize the formation of the specialized Anti-corruption Justice Center, pledged by president Ashraf Ghani in order to build trust among Afghanistan's international partners.
The presidential palace has announced that arrangements for the creation of the center have been put in place. The center is to operate in conjunction with the Anti-corruption High Council.
"Preliminary work on the establishment of the center has started. The new body will soon start its task in co-operation with the High Anti-Corruption Council," presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said.
The specialized center is expected to be an effective mechanism in combating the rising trend of corruption in Afghanistan, something the government so far has not been able to stem.
Monitoring groups say continued international aid to Afghanistan is directly linked to the effectiveness of the government's anti-corruption actions. Anti-corruption monitors have demanded that the government step up its efforts to prove to the international community the effectiveness of its counter-corruption efforts.
"The government of Afghanistan is not interested in fighting corruption. People have not been told that when the specialized Anti-corruption Justice Center will start its work," Khan Zaman Amarkhail, head of Afghan Anti-Corruption Network said. There have also been rumors that there is no determined will within the government to fight corruption effectively.
"Unfortunately, corrupt individuals and organizations continue their activities with impunity and they are not prosecuted. Not enough has been done to end corruption," said Syed Ekram Afzali, head of Integrity Watch Afghanistan.
There is also a perception that the creation of the specialized Anti-corruption Justice Center was an important part of government's anti-corruption effort for the Warsaw Summit and the center should have started its work much earlier.
The Warsaw Summit will be key to continued of international financial cooperation with Afghanistan. Analysts say that especially financial aid will be dependent on the proven success of Afghan government's fight against corruption.(Tolonews)