Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Quarterly Report to the United States Congress
Abstract
This is the first formal quarterly report of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) as required by Section 1229 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2008 (PL 110-181). Since being sworn in as Special Inspector General on July 22, 2008, I have worked to build the organization and to initiate relationships necessary for SIGAR to perform the mission presented by the United States Congress. This report discusses my understanding of the mission, the current situation in Afghanistan, and my plans for how the Office of the SIGAR will accomplish the mission in the days ahead. In fulfilling one of my first priorities, I visited Afghanistan in September 2008. My discussions with senior civilian and military leaders were both informative and very revealing. The views they shared with me made clear that the task of reconstruction in Afghanistan is an exceedingly difficult and complex issue. It occurs in a country with no substantial natural resources, a population devastated by decades of war, and an ongoing insurgency. To deal with this challenge, I have developed a strategic concept that will serve to ensure independent and objective fact-finding in order to account for and ensure the efficiency of appropriated funds and amounts otherwise made available for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. All indications are that SIGAR will require a robust and highly skilled staff in order to accomplish its mission, and we are on our way to achieving this goal. Our dialogue with Congressional members and staff has been particularly helpful in understanding the mandate and in securing initial funding to begin staffing the organization and to commence work on what is clearly a demanding mission. Some funding issues for SIGAR remain unresolved, but I am confident they will eventually be addressed. I wish to thank the Congress for being receptive and responsive to our requests for assistance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 30, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA594045
Entities
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction