Afghanistan Can’t Manage Billions in Aid, U.S. Inspector Finds - Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Billions of dollars in U.S. and international aid for Afghanistan’s security forces are at risk because the ministries that manage the money aren’t preventing waste and corruption, the Pentagon inspector general found.

“Future direct assistance funds are vulnerable to increased fraud and abuse” because the Afghan government has “had numerous contract award and execution irregularities” and procurement-law violations, according to an audit labeled “For Official Use Only.”

The Afghan National Security Forces remain dependent on U.S. and allied financing as foreign troops depart. The Pentagon has provided $3.3 billion in payments directly to Afghan ministries since October 2010, and an additional $13 billion in such direct military aid is projected through 2019, three years after President Barack Obama has pledged to withdraw all but a small number of U.S. troops.

The Feb. 26 audit bolsters previous assessments by the separate office of John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, that the country’s Defense and Interior ministries aren’t ready to manage the funds going to the military and national police force without major U.S. help.

“The ministries did not adequately develop, award, execute or monitor contracts funded with U.S. direct assistance,” Michael Roark, assistant inspector inspector general for contract management, wrote to U.S. and allied commanders in a letter submitting the new audit.  Read More

Afghanistan Can't Manage Billions in Aid, U.S. Inspector Finds