The United States will return some $100 million that was earmarked for an Afghan energy project to the Treasury and withhold another $60 million in assistance after determining that the government of Afghanistan is mismanaging resources, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2019) The United States will return some $100 million that was earmarked for an Afghan energy project to the Treasury and withhold another $60 million in assistance after determining that the government of Afghanistan is mismanaging resources, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Thursday."Due to identified Afghan Government corruption and financial mismanagement, the US Government is returning approximately $100 million to the US Treasury that was intended for a large energy infrastructure project," Pompeo said.
Pompeo also expressed great concern over a "lack of transparency" in the Afghan National Procurement Authority's decisions, and said the US would withhold $60 million in planned assistance over its "failure to meet benchmarks for transparency and accountability."
The United States will also cease all funding for the Afghan government's Monitoring and Evaluation Committee by the end of the year after determining that it is "incapable of being a partner in the international effort to build a better future for the Afghan people," Pompeo said.
