Oversight of U.S. Spending in Afghanistan
Abstract
I am John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR. Thank you for inviting me to appear before the Subcommittee today to discuss our oversight work in Afghanistan and to summarize our view of the status of the reconstruction effort there. To start, I would like to make four overarching observations: 1. SIGAR has reported on many signs of progress in Afghanistan reconstruction, but also continues to document a disturbing amount of waste, fraud, and abuse. 2. SIGAR and its other oversight colleagues have made a difference, identifying billions in potential savings, recoveries, and redirection of funds. SIGAR alone has identified more than $2 billion of potential savings, and nearly 80 percent of our recommendations for improvements have been implemented or effectively addressed by the federal agencies we have audited. 3. SIGAR is working closely with the U.S. military, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of State, international donors, the Afghan government, and other entities to seek improvements in reconstruction. 4. Although overall the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan has had serious flaws, it has not failed and has improved over time. With continued refinement and oversight, it should be able to do an even better job of helping the Afghan people while promoting U.S. security and humanitarian policy objectives.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 09, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1139417
Entities
People
- John Sopko
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction