Karzai blames US for fostering corruption
03 October, 2012
KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai blamed the United States for making the problem of corruption in Afghanistan worse, although he accepts the scandal within his government. Speaking in an interview with CBS news, Karzai said the US practices in managing and awarding huge contracts to Afghan businesses had abetted the country's crippling graft. Afghan political experts told TOLOnews that Karzai's accusation was fair, but also stressed that the corruption at the presidential palace and high-ranking government officials was the real root of the problem. "It is correct that there are issues with contracts, but the real problem is the presidential and government officials who are involved in corruption without any prosecution," Afghan Civil Society Activist Mir Ahmad Joyenda said. This comes as the Afghan government has pledged to the international to fight corruption in an effective and serious manner in order the receive the financial aid pledged by international donors of $16 billion over the next four years. In an effort to overcome and reduce the level of graft in the government, Karzai issued a reform decree which asked all the government entities to provide him with the necessary information to combat corruption. End.
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