KABUL (SW): A new facility for Afghanistan’s Anti-Corruption Justice Center (ACJC) opened on Sunday in a formal inauguration ceremony attended by government officials and members of the international community, including UNAMA political chief Pernille Kardel.
The centre includes specialized police, prosecution units and courts that are designed to be independent from political and other pressures in detecting, investigating and prosecuting corruption.
Established at the national level and unique in Afghanistan, the centre is designed to enable better coordination among judicial institutions to focus more thoroughly on major corruption crimes among high-ranking officials.
In July 2016, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani signed a decree establishing the independent ACJC in Kabul to tackle high-level corruption cases. Its formation follows an international anti-corruption conference in May 2016, where President Ghani described corruption in Afghanistan as a national shame and promised to end the impunity of those involved in corruption.
Along with international partners, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) worked closely with the Afghan Government to develop the centre concept and provide technical assistance in its formation. In a press release, UNAMA underlined its mandated to support the Afghan Government and the people of Afghanistan as a political mission that provides 'good offices' among other key services.
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