‘Corruption means stabbing frontline soldier in the back’

KABUL has welcomed the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Justice Centre and creation of anti-corruption strategy as significant initiatives by the Kabul administration.

Addressing the Fourth Annual EU Anti-Corruption Conference here, Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon also acknowledged the efforts of civil society and of foreign partners, like SIGAR, or both coming together like the MEC, in discouraging corruption in the war-torn country.

“Talking of those who lead the fight against corruption is celebrating men and women of courage. The threat they are subject to is not only moral or psychological. A number of ACJC officers, judges, prosecutors and civil society activists have been targeted, some assassinated. We salute their sacrifice and commend those who continue the fight,” he said.

The ambassador said the conference was aimed at taking the fight against corruption to a higher level and making it a national cause for all citizens of this country.

“We need to further mobilize educationists and the media to strengthen the spirit of resistance against corruption, including petty corruption you find on the street.”

“We need the forceful implication of the women of Afghanistan - the First Lady's Annual Women Symposium titled “responsible citizenship” will bring valuable contribution to this collective endeavorin a few days from now.”

The envoy said though corruption was a worldwide phenomenon, yet its impact on human dignity and economic development was much more acutely felt in Afghanistan.

“The most vulnerable in society, already suffering more than others from the never-ending cycle of violence and harsh economic conditions, are worst hit by the effects of corruption.”

“Corruption is a stab in the back of a front line soldier who doesn’t receive his food, fuel or ammunition because it has been pilfered along the supply chain.It is a fatal blow on the poorest who can’t afford to pay a bribe when bribe is a pre-condition to access basic social services.”

He said corruption discouraged entrepreneurship when job creation was a huge part of solution to the Afghan crisis.

“Of course here, I especially refer to illegal mining fed by corruption which drains precious resources from this country.”

“It is an outrage to the taxpayer in Europe, Asia and America, whose revenue is massively mobilized to bring Afghanistan on the way to stability and prosperity. We should be mindful that corruption doesn´t feed into a growing sentiment of "donor fatigue" that appears here and there.”

nh/ma