Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee

The Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) independently monitors and evaluates national and international efforts to fight corruption in Afghanistan. It reports to the public, Parliament, President, and international community. Learn more about us here.

MEC Briefs the Meshrano Jirga Commission on Legislative Affairs on the Fight Against Corruption in Afghanistan

May 4, 2013: Officials from MEC’s Secretariat briefed the Commission on Legislative Affairs of the Meshrano Jirga on a variety of anti-corruption issues, including MEC’s evaluation of progress in the implementation of Presidential Decree 45, the implementation of recommendations from the Kabul Bank report, and the status of MEC’s anti-corruption benchmarks.

MEC officials were encouraged by the Commission on Legislative Affairs’ engagement and interest in hearing about MEC’s assessment of the fight against corruption and look forward to strengthening the dialogue between MEC and the Afghan Parliament more broadly.

MEC’s mandate requires it to regularly report to the people, Parliament, the President, and the international community.

MEC Holds Press Conference to Deliver Two Major Reports

March 24, 2013: MEC released the 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks and 3rd Six-Month Report at a press conference at the Academy of Sciences in Kabul. The reports contained 36 new recommendations and benchmarks and detailed the accomplishments of the Committee over the second half of 2012...

Read the full 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks or the 3rd Six-Month Report.

Committee Holds Press Conference on the Kabul Bank Crisis

March 17, 2013: The MEC Committee members held a press conference to update the media and the public on national and international progress in responding to the public inquiry into the Kabul Bank crisis. They also provided a broader update on anti-corruption efforts in Afghanistan.

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About us

Mandate

MEC's terms of reference includes the following mandates:

  • to develop anti-corruption recommendations and benchmarks;
  • to monitor and evaluate the government and international community efforts to fight corruption;
  • and to report to the President, Parliament, people and international community.
MEC is wholly independent from the Afghan government and the international community. This independence ensures that MEC is capable of carrying out its mandate in a transparent manner without undue influence. Every six months, MEC submits a report of its assessments and findings of the agreed-upon benchmarks to the President, Parliament, and people of Afghanistan through the media.

MEC was created after the need for independent monitoring and evaluation of anti-corruption efforts was identified at the London and Kabul international conferences. Following the London Conference, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan invited the international community to form a joint Afghan-International monitoring and evaluation committee, which was welcomed by the international community.

The Committee

The Committee is comprised of six senior anti-corruption experts selected through a nomination process implemented by the international community and the Afghan government. The Chairmanship of the Committee alternates between an Afghan and an international appointee on a six-month basis.

The current members of the Committee are:

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    Mr. Drago Kos (Slovenia)

    Chair of MEC and former Chair of the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption

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    Mr. Mohammad Yasin Osmani (Afghanistan)

    Advisor to the President and former Director of HOO

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    Ms. Eva Joly (France/Norway)

    Member of the European Parliament and initiator of the Paris Declaration Against Corruption

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    Mr. Zakem Shah (Afghanistan)

    Advisor to the President and former Minister of Commerce

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    Lt. Gen Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury (Bangladesh)

    Former Anti-Corruption Commission Chair

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    Dr. Yama Torabi (Afghanistan)

    Founder and Executive Director of Integrity Watch Afghanistan

The Secretariat

MEC is supported by a technical secretariat comprised of national and international staff. The Secretariat is led by an Executive Director and is divided into three main pillars: Governance, Prevention, and Law Enforcement. Each team consists of an international expert, a national advisor, and a national officer. A Senior Policy Advisor provides overarching policy expertise. The Secretariat also has a Vulnerability to Corruption Assessment (VCA) Unit that is undertaking corruption assessments at government institutions, an Outreach and Communications Advisor, an administrative team and a translation team.

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What We Do

Developing Recommendations and Benchmarks

MEC has issued over 100 recommendations in the areas of governance, prevention and law enforcement affecting a variety of government and international institutions. The recommendations address policy gaps that exist in the national or international effort to fight corruption. The latest recommendations are aimed at increasing aid effectiveness, preventing impunity, ensuring transparency in elections, preventing corruption in infrastructure projects and combating land usurpation.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Implementation of Recommendations

MEC monitors and evaluates the implementation of its recommendations and reports on the effectiveness of the implementation. MEC's Secretariat works closely with implementing institutions to gauge progress and identify any potential problems. The Secretariat also seeks information from civil society and other partners to assess whether the recommendations have been implemented by the government and the effectiveness of this implementation.

Public Inquiry into Kabul Bank Crisis

MEC completed a public inquiry into the Kabul Bank crisis in November 2012, which included the analysis of extensive documentary evidence and interviews. The report included 48 recommendations directed at a number of government institutions, aimed at resolving outstanding Kabul Bank issues and correcting structural governance and justice sector deficiencies in Afghanistan. MEC will continue to monitor the implementation of its recommendations and report to the public on progress to help ensure that all outstanding issues are resolved.

Monitoring the Implementation of Anti-Corruption Related Articles of Presidential Decree 45

Although the Office of Administrative Affairs (OAA) is tasked with monitoring and evaluating Presidential Decree 45, MEC decided to independently monitor and evaluate the implementation of 38 anti-corruption related articles. MEC has conducted extensive monitoring activities to evaluate the government's progress and issued a report with its findings on March 31, 2013.

Vulnerability to Corruption Assessments (VCAs)

VCAs identify vulnerabilities to corruption in government processes and allow for the development of strategies to mitigate these risks. MEC has initiated several VCAs and has completed draft reports in the areas of land distribution to repatriates; examination processes in the institutions of higher education; and certificates for graduate students.

Consultation and Outreach

MEC acts as a key facilitator and coordinator among actors in the fight against corruption in Afghanistan. MEC has initiated stakeholder working groups to identify corruption issues and solutions. To date MEC has met over one hundred individuals from over one hundred government institutions and civil society organizations, as well as the international community. MEC also conducts provincial missions to gain a regional perspective; to date these visits have included Nangarhar, Balkh and Herat.

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News, Press Releases and Upcoming Events

MEC in the news

March 24, 2013:
Tolo News: Afghan Govt Graft on the Rise, Corruption Monitor Says (English) (Dari)
Bakhtar News: Recommendations of MEC are issued (Dari only)
March 17, 2013:
The West Australian: Afghan anti-graft body raps Kabul Bank court ruling
November 28, 2012:
Tolo News: Kabul Bank Fraud Buttressed by Weak Governance (English) (Dari)

Press Releases

March 31, 2013:
News Release: Presidential Decree 45 Monitoring Report Download PDF
March 24, 2013:
Media Advisory: Press Conference on the 3rd Six-Month Report & 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks Download PDF
Backgrounder: 3rd Six-Month Report & 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks Download PDF
News Release: 3rd Six-Month Report Download PDF
News Release: 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks Download PDF
March 17, 2013:
News Release: Response to Kabul Bank Public Inquiry Download PDF
March 5, 2013:
News Release: MEC Reaction to Kabul Bank Tribunal Judgement Download PDF
November 28, 2012:
Media Advisory: Kabul Bank Public Inquiry Report Download PDF

Upcoming Events

May 27 - June 10, 2013:
9th MEC Mission in Afghanistan
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Publications

Kabul Bank
The Ministry of Finance requested that MEC hold a public inquiry into the Kabul Bank Fraud. This report details the findings of the public inquiry.
November 15, 2012: Kabul Bank Public Inquiry Report Download PDF

Presidential Decree 45 Monitoring and Evaluation Report
The first monitoring report of the 38 anti-corruption related articles of Presidential Decree 45.
March 31, 2013: Presidential Decree 45 Monitoring and Evaluation Report Download PDF

MEC Six-Month Activity Reports
March 24, 2013: 3rd Six-Month Report (July - December 2012) Download PDF

Sets of Recommendations and Benchmarks
March 24, 2013: 5th Set of Recommendations and Benchmarks Download PDF
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Get in touch with MEC

Have a recommendation for improving anti-corruption in Afghanistan?
Let us know.

Contact Us

Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC)
House #30 Park Street
Shahr-e-Naw
Kabul, Afghanistan

Phone: +93 797 51 58 71; +93 792 04 33 74
Email: contact [@] mec.af

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