The World Bank welcomes recommendations in the latest report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)

The World Bank welcomes recommendations in the latest report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) on the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). It presents the Afghan Government, ARTF donors and the World Bank with useful insights and an opportunity to strengthen the focus on the fund’s results and accountability. Most of the findings, however, are somewhat anecdotal, and do not fully take into account measures taken to improve the reporting on how funds are used. The World Bank takes the quality of project results framework seriously, while also approaching them with pragmatism based on professional judgment, and several other tools relevant to the circumstances of each projects throughout their implementation life cycle. Independent assessments conclude that in Afghanistan’s volatile context, the ARTF is a vehicle of choice for pooled on-budget funding given its low transaction and management costs, transparency and accountability. It provides a well-functioning arena for policy debate and consensus creation between the international community and government of Afghanistan while delivering important results to millions of Afghans across the country. “We are proud of the tangible results Afghanistan has achieved with the support of ARTF for Afghans in the past 15 years and continues to deliver, which include improving and expanding access to healthcare and education, developing rural infrastructure, and improving farmers’ crops and incomes.”
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