Anti-corruption campaign launched by EU in Afghanistan

The European Union Delegation in Afghanistan on Saturday has launched Anti-Corruption Campaign 2016 in a bid to help Afghan citizens to fight and mobilize government in taking stronger action against corruption.

"Afghanistan's endemic corruption is crippling the economy and undermining the fight against the insurgency. This threatens past achievements and investments in Afghanistan as well as the future of all young Afghans," Tolo news quoted EU's statement.

The statement also said that the campaign will focus on four themes: Corruption and peace; corruption in the judicial sector; natural resources and stability - the threat of illegal mining; and public action against corruption.

Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin, EU Special Representative in Afghanistan present during the campaign launch said that every day ordinary Afghans are confronted with corruption's dark shadow that fills the pockets of the rich while the poor suffer.

He asserted that corruption undermines the Afghan people's hard-won achievements over the last 14 years, and it is a primary threat to the sustainability and survivability of the Afghan state.

He said that the government should do more and since it cannot stand alone , the citizens should take responsibility in ending this scourge.

The campaign is set to for seven weeks and will culminate with a high-level conference in early May.

A new study by Transparency International in January released results that found Afghanistan as the second most corrupt country among 176 in the world.

The top three were Somalia, Afghanistan and North Korea.