UN envoy urges government to increase efforts to eradicate corruption

THE UNITED Nation’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, has said between $100 million to $250 million worth of bribes exchanges hands in Afghanistan every year.

Eide made the comment on Wednesday during a conference in Kabul to launch the UN’s anti-corruption report, which examines corruption among Asia-Pacific countries.

"Each Afghan family spends about $100 in bribes every year," he said.

"Corruption in Afghanistan is endemic, it hurts the poorest people disproportionately, pushes people away from the state and undermines our joint efforts to build peace, stability and progress for Afghanistan’s peoples."

About 70% of the population live on $1 a day, he said. Eide announced that a new anti-corruption commission will be set up to counter official corruption.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on a trip tp Kabul on Thursday, said the Afghan government could look forward to the appointment of a new anti-corruption tsar in the next few days.

During the launch of the UN’s report, Finance Minister Anwar ul-Haq Ahadi said corruption weakened the government and created instability.

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