Connect with us

Latest News

Despite ‘Immense’ Pushback Gov’t Determined to Tackle Corruption: Ghani

Published

on

(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

President Ashraf Ghani said on Monday despite persistence of the corrupt and immense pushback, they are making inroads in eradicating corruption from the government.

Speaking on International Anti-Corruption Day, Ghani said after 09/11 incident, Afghanistan has received billions of dollars in aid but he said Afghans have failed to manage the assistance in a way to control Afghanistan’s water resources and to build roads and infrastructures.

“We have preferred our personal interests than national interests, and it led the international community to ask us – we have helped you and what you have done in return? –  we should give a response,” Ghani said.

The president, meanwhile, said that a legal framework was instituted by Afghan National Strategy for Combating Corruption and that it is in the process of implementation, adding that so far the process has seen through indictment and jailing of high-ranking civil and military officials.

“Recruitment of 22,000 civil servants based on the transparent open competition by Administrative Reform and Civil Services Commission, and awarding of contracts through a transparent process via National Procurement Authority are a couple of examples that indicate our commitment,” he said.

At the event, Second Vice President Sarwar Danish said that tackling corruption should become a culture in order to eradicate this phenomenon.  

“Lack of capacity in the government institutions is a challenge. fighting corruption should become a culture. People should help us in resolving corruption issues,” he said. “We still have weaknesses and challenges while implementing the rule of law and we need the support international institutions in this regard.”

Tadamichi Yamamoto, U.N. Secretary General’s Special Representative to Afghanistan, John Bass, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Nicholas Kay, U.K. ambassador to Afghanistan and national and international organizations were also present.

According to president’s office statement, they acknowledged government’s sustained focus and commitment to root out corruption. While admiring enactment of laws and implementation of processes such as Access to Information Law, Mining Law, continued implementation of inherent law, publication of national budget and asset declaration.

They reiterated their commitment to stand with the Afghan government while they continue to combat corruption. They said that the legal framework and required architecture are in place, but the Afghan government and its international partners need to make sure that architecture is effective.

During the event, high-ranking government officials, including President Ghani signed a commitment letter affirming to be transparent, open and ethical in their daily conducts.

Advertisement

Latest News

Contract worth $53 million signed for construction of last section of Khaf–Herat railway

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

A contract worth $53 million was signed Thursday for the construction of the last section of Khaf-Herat railway that connects Afghanistan with Iran.

The contract was signed between Afghanistan Railway Authority and Gamma Group in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, his office said in a statement.

The segment is 47-kilometer long, stretching from Rabat Parian to Herat International Airport and the Industrial Town, according to the statement.

It added that completion and standard operational readiness are expected within approximately two years.

“Upon its completion, this segment will integrate the Khaf-Herat regional connectivity project with Iran’s significant seaports and facilitate access to Europe via the Turkish railway network,” the statement said.

“Furthermore, traversing Afghan territory, it will bolster commercial exchanges between Central and South Asia. Notably, this project’s realization will enable the expansion of railway networks into Farah, Nimruz, Helmand, and Kandahar provinces,” it added.

Gamma operates across Europe and Asia in multiple sectors including construction, renewable energy, power transmission, mining, railways among others.

Continue Reading

Latest News

US urges IEA to fulfill counter-terrorism commitments

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The US State Department said on Thursday that Washington is committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism.

“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan can never again be a launching pad for terrorism, and we continue to push the Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) to fulfill all of their counterterrorism commitments to the international community,” the department’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.

He reiterated that the United States had clearly communicated to the IEA that it’s their responsibility to ensure that “they give no safe haven to terrorists, whether it be Al Qaeda or ISIS-K or any other terrorist organization”.

Miller also reassured US allies that Washington was closely watching the developments in Afghanistan and was ready to deal with any threat emerging from the region.

“We remain vigilant against the evolving threat of these terrorist groups, and our global coalition to defeat ISIS and the C5+1 help intensify our efforts to monitor terrorist threats from the region and prevent their ability to raise funds, travel, and spread propaganda,” he said.

C5+1 refers to a diplomatic platform involving the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgy­zstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the United States. It serves as a forum for discussing and addressing regional issues such as security, economic development, and cooperation.

“The United States remains vigilant against the evolving threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIS-K, and has maintained an unwavering focus on terrorism since President Joe Biden took office three years ago,” Miller said.

The US, he said, was “working both unilaterally and with its partners to successfully disrupt threats across the globe and degrade ISIS”.

“We will continue to work to hold ISIS accountable for its actions and to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western countries,” Miller said.

This comes as IEA has repeatedly said that it is committed to not allowing anyone to use Afghanistan soil against any other country.

Continue Reading

Latest News

IEA condemns Israel for confiscating 800 hectares of land in West Bank’s Jordan Valley

Published

on

(Last Updated On: March 29, 2024)

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) strongly condemned on Thursday Israel’s decision to seize 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank’s Jordan Valley region.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the recent actions by “the Zionist regime demonstrate that it does not to adhere to international laws, especially international humanitarian law.”

“Continuation of such unilateral actions and ignoring the rights of Palestinian people will further deteriorate the situation,” the statement said.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan expects international actors, particularly influential regional Muslim countries to fulfill their legitimate, human and moral responsibilities in supporting the oppressed people of Palestine and prevent the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied territories,” it added.

Israeli media have reported that Israel seized 800 hectares of land in the Jordan Valley region of the occupied West Bank, claiming it as “state land.”

It is reported the seized land could be used for the construction of illegal Jewish settlements.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Ariana News. All rights reserved!