Denmark, UNDP sign agreement for new anti-corruption project in Afghan

The new project will be for the duration of 18 months and will strengthen the capacity of justice institutions and increase public engagement at the community level so the citizens become part of the fight against corrupt practices.

The Royal Danish Embassy, Attorney General Office and UNDP signed an agreement for a new anti-corruption project, Anti-Corruption, Transparency, Integrity & Openness (ACTION) on Wednesday 7 August 2019. The project will be funded by the Royal Danish Embassy and implemented by UNDP Afghanistan.

The Afghanistan Anti-Corruption, Transparency, Integrity and Openness (ACTION) Project is designed to provide technical support to the government's justice institutions, namely the Anti-corruption Justice Center (ACJC) to enhance their capacity to address high-level corruption cases. The project will also work with civil society organizations, media, youth groups, and communities to promote transparency, enhance public trust in the justice institutions and repair the social contract between the citizens of Afghanistan and the state.

The new project will be for the duration of 18 months and will strengthen the capacity of justice institutions and increase public engagement at the community level so the citizens become part of the fight against corrupt practices. The project will start with a total budget of USD 4.26 million.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ambassador of Denmark Mr. Nicolaj Hejberg Petersen reiterated his government's support to the rule of law and justice institutions of Afghanistan in their fight against corruption, "The Anti-Corruption Justice Center has achieved the result in prosecuting high-level corruption cases. This is vital to end the culture of impunity in Afghanistan. However, the institution still needs strong political, technical and logistical support to reach its full potential" said Ambassador Petersen. "Denmark is pleased to continue its support to the Anti-Corruption Justice Centre (ACJC) and the Afghan Civil Society Organizations to fights corruption in Afghanistan through a partnership with UNDP. A vibrant civil society is crucial in the fight against corruption", he added.

Joining the signing ceremony, UNDP's Resident Representative for Afghanistan Abdllah Al Dardari emphasized on the need to fight corruption in all its forms so Afghanistan can develop and achieve the SDGs. "Corruption is one of the most daunting challenges Afghanistan is facing today as it impedes security, economic development and fair access to essential public services," said Mr. Dardari, "for every development goal Afghanistan has set for itself, for every SDG, corruption stands in the way" he added. Mr. Dardari reiterated UNDP's full support to the government of Afghanistan to enhance its justice sector institutions "With the continued financial support of the Royal Danish Embassy, we will deepen our support to the ACJC and strengthen our engagement with civil society, with a view to support the efforts of the Government in tackling corruption and ultimately realizing the SDGs."

As per the new UN reforms and UNDP's role as the integrator of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNDP is supporting the government of Afghanistan to achieve the goals. The new UNDP is designing its development programs that enable synergies between the SDGs and helps strengthen the law enforcement institutions. To this end, UNDP is continuing its partnership with the Danish Embassy in supporting the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in combatting corruption through the initiation of a new project with a twofold focus - supporting the justice institutions to enhance their capacity to fight corruption and promoting accountability and transparency through engagement with the citizens.