CIVIL SOCIETY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN 2016

Transcription

1 CIVIL SOCIETY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN 2016

2 CIVILSOCIETYRECOMMENDATIONS FORTHEBRUSSELSCONFERENCEONAFGHANISTAN Thissetofrecommendationsistheresultofawiderangeofconsultationsbeginningin2015whichincluded meetingswithh.e.presidentghaniandhisministers,donors,civilsocietyandleadingorganizationsto assessthenationalintegritysystemofafghanistan.theserecommendationsareaimedatinformingthe AfghanandInternationalcommunityabouttheircommitmentsonhowtomovethegovernanceagenda forwardinthenewafghannationalpeaceanddevelopmentframework(anpdf).itreflectsnotjustthe inputofinternationalandnationalexperts,butalsotheconcernsandexperienceofawidesectionofafghan civilsociety. 1. ENSURETHEINTEGRITYANDINDEPENDENCEOFTHEJUDICIARY Effective and transparent administration of justice is the foundation of all effort to fight corruption. The removalofpoliticalinterferenceandestablishingameritnbasedrecruitmentandpromotionofpersonnelare essential. The government should take steps in implementation of the Bangalore Principles of Judicial ConducttohavethebestNqualifiedjudgeswiththehighestlevelsofintegrityindependence,impartiality, confidenceanddiligencetothebench. Toachievethis,theAfghangovernmentshouldcommitto: Establishing Independent Judicial Commission: by June 2017, establish an independent judicial service commission to oversee appointments, recruitment and training programs of the judgesandjudicialstaff,tohandlecomplaintsandconductdisciplinaryproceduresagainstjudicial staff.thecommissionshouldbegiventhepowertoreviewanyexecutiveandlegislativedecrees which impede the independence of the Judiciary, and make periodic recommendations to the Presidenttoimprovetheintegrityofthesectorbasedonthepresentchallengesandanyother relevantadministrativereforms. AppointmentsandtheStageExaminations:(SetaagNeQazaye):byendof2017,broadenthe membershipofthestagecommitteetoincludevettedandindependentrepresentativesfromthe Legislative, Judiciary, Executive and relevant Civil Society organizations, including members of academiaandforeignexperts.stronglyrestrictappointmentsoutsideofthestageprocessand ensuretheytakeplaceaccordingtoatransparentandcompetitiveprocess. AccesstoJustice:byendof2017,improvecitizen saccesstojusticeacrossthecountryand strengthen case management systems in the courts, including implementing safe archiving andstrengtheningcoordinationwithinthejudiciaryandlawenforcementorgans. OpenTrials:byJune2017,ensurealltrialsareopentothepublicinaccordancewiththelaw. Issueandenforcecleardirectivesrequiringopentrialswhichallowforandencouragecommunity monitoring,andensurecourtverdictsaremadepublicatlocallevel. 2. INSTITUTIONALARRANGEMENTSTOFIGHTCORRUPTION NewantiNcorruptionbodieshavebeenintroducedinrecentmonths.However,anindependentandeffective antincorruption agency (ACA), established in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption(UNCAC)andJakartaStatementonPrinciplesforAntiNCorruptionAgencies,isessentialinthe fight against corruption in Afghanistan. Afghanistan antincorruption agencies suffer from multin organizationalsubnoptimizationwhereinstitutionsexistanduseresources,butthereislittleevidenceof successinfulfillingtheirmandates. Toaddresstheaboveissues,theAfghangovernmentshouldcommitto: 1

3 ClarificationofMandates:byJune2017,clearlydelineatetherespectiverolesandresponsibilities ofotherantincorruptionbodies,includingthehighcouncilforgovernance,ruleoflawandantin corruption, the President s Special Representative for Reform and Good Governance, and the IndependentAdministrativeReformandCivilServiceCommission(IARCSC).DissolvetheHigh OfficeofOversight(HOO)and/ordeliverfundamentalstructuralreformsoftheorganizations. Independent AntiNCorruption Commission: by end of 2017, establish an Independent AntiN Corruption Commission, in accordance with the principles of the Jakarta Declaration and the Afghan government s obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)ThemandateoftheCommissionshallincludeoverseeingtheAntiNCorruptionJustice Center(ACJC),coordinatingtheantiNcorruptioneffortsofgovernmentagencies,providingsupport andoverseeingthedevelopmentandimplementationoflineministries antincorruptionactionplans, andeducatingthepubliconcorruptionissues. The AntiNCorruption Justice Center (ACJC): by January 2017, establish appropriate annual targetsfortheprosecutionofcorruptioncasesbytheacjc,andensurecoordinationwithother lawnenforcement bodies. The conduct of the ACJC must comply with best practices of the administration of justice including ensuring its highest level of integrity, independence and effectiveness. AntiNCorruptionLaws:byendof2017, o EnactacomprehensiveantiNcorruptionlaw,inaccordancewithinternationalbestpractice andafghanistan scommitmentsundertheuncac,whichinteraliasimplifiesprocedures forcombattingcorruptionandsetsoutthepowersandmandatesofafghanantincorruption institutions on asset registration, corruption prevention and awareness raising, and the preparationofantincorruptionpolicies. o Enact a WhistleNblower Protection Law, setting out strong and effective protections for whistlenblowersinlinewithbestpracticesofkeyprinciplesofwhistleblowerprotectionlaw. o Strengthen the Audit Law, notably by adding enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the recommendations of the Supreme Audit Office (SAO), including requiring public bodies to provide a public account of how they have addressed SAO findings o Amendtheaccesstoinformationlawtomeetinternationalbestpracticesandstrengthen therecentlyestablishedoversightcommissiononaccesstoinformation. OpenGovernmentPartnership:byJune2017,jointheOpenGovernmentPartnershipinitiative to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthengovernance. 3. PROCUREMENTTRANSPARENCY Inlinewithglobalbestpractices,suchastheOpenContractingPrinciplesandtheOpenContractingData Standard, the NUG should provide open and transparent information about government contracts and awardsacrossitsprocurementprocessesfromprenawardtocontractcompletionstages. Toachievethis,itisrecommendedthat: ContractPublicationasaConditionofValidity:bytheendof2017,amendAfghanlawtorequire thatthefulltextofgovernmentawards,contracts,andcontractalterations(includingassociated agreements,annexes,schedulesandotherdocuments)mustbepublishedasaconditionoftheir comingintoforce. Beneficial Ownership: by the end of 2017, establish a public central registry of beneficial ownership in accordance with the Afghan Government s commitment at the May 2016 London conference,andenshrineinlawtherequirementforthecollection,publicationandtimelyupdating ofthisinformation.amendtheafghanprocurementlawtoestablishadefinitionof levelofcontrol or influenceofbeneficialownership thatisinaccordancewithinternationalbestpractice. TransparencyandOversightinContracting:bytheendof2017,strengthentransparencyin contractingtomatchorexceedinternationalbestpractice,includingbyimplementingtheopen 2

4 ContractingPrinciplesandtheOpenContractingDataStandard,andbyrequiringonline,machine readable publication of open data about contract planning, award method, tendering and implementation,includingcontractorperformance.provideforpublicconsultationandstakeholder oversightofplanningformajorcontracts,especiallyininfrastructureandtheextractivessector, includingallowingopportunityforpubliccommentoncontractsbeforetheyarefinalised. Capacity building: by end of 2017, work with international community to secure the required capacityandresourcestobuildthecapacitiesofrelevantofficialsforcollecting,publishing,storing, accessingandsharingcontractdataandexecutionofatransparentpublicprocurementsystem. 4. TRANSPARENCYANDOPENNESSINSECURITYSECTOR TheAfghangovernmentcommitstostrengtheningoversight,accountabilityandtransparencyinthis sector, which is vital to the legitimacy and effectiveness of the ANSF and achieving stability in Afghanistan. Toachievethisthe,Afghangovernmentshouldcommitto: AppointmentsattheMinistryofDefense(MoD)andMinstryofInterior(MOI):byJune2017, establish clear guidelines and procedures for appointments and promotions within the Afghan NationalPolice(ANP)andAfghanNationalArmy(ANA)inordertopromoteandensuremeritocracy andendappointmentsbasedonpersonalandpoliticalconnectionsorcorruptpractices. DefencePlanning,BudgetandStrategy:byJune2017,publishthenationaldefencestrategy,a detaileddefencebudget,andnonnconfidentialacquisitionplans,toenablescrutinyandoversight. PublishanantiNcorruptionactionplanforthedefencesector. OversightoverSecretProcurement:byJune2017,publishcurrentoversightmechanismsfor confidentialprocurement.provideparliamentwithdetailedauditreportsrelatedtothedefenceand securitysector. GhostSoldiersandGhostPolice:byJune2017, o developandimplementaverificationplanthatdetailsproceduresbywhichthemodand MOI will verify ANA and ANP personnel and payroll data. In the meantime, ensure verificationofpaymentmeasuresareinplace.thismayincludeinstitutingspotcheckson attendancebyusingatrustedsecondpairofeyestooverseethesubmissionofaccurate attendancedata,mandatingallanaandanppersonnelsigninandoutdailyandrequiring useofidentificationnumbersinattendanceprocesses. o ensurethatthemodandmoiisusingafullyoperationalelectronicsystem(s)totrackand report all ANA and ANP personnel and payroll data at the corps level and above, and calculateanaandanpsalariesa o buildonpastcapacitybuildingeffortsandstrengthenmodandmoiinternalauditcapacity andinvestigativepowers,includingmonitoringandaddressingconductviolationsinareas such as payroll and attendance (i.e. to tackle ghost soldiers), and nonnmeritnbased appointments. OpennessandDialogue:byJune2017,MoDandMOIrelevantdepartmentsshouldholdquarterly briefingsopentocivilsocietywithactivequestionandanswersessions.asrequiredbytheaccess to Information Law, the MoD and MOI should ensure they have an office that is effective and proactiveinitsprovisionofinformation. 5. TRANSPARENCYANDOVERSIGHTINEXTRACTIVESSECTOR Intheinterestsofstrengtheningstability,fosteringdevelopment,andincreasingstaterevenue,theAfghan governmentre%affirmsitscommitmenttoputinplaceeffectivemeasurestocounterthethreatofconflict andcorruptionlinkedtotheextractivessector. Toachievethis,theAfghangovernmentshouldcommitto: 3

5 StrengtheningTransparency:byJune2018,amendAfghanlawtorequirepublicationofproject% levelextractivesectorpaymentandproductionfiguresatorequirepublicationofnaturalresource and other contracts as a condition for their validitya to establish a public register of beneficial ownershipa and to establish a single, transparent account, to be used for all natural resource revenuesandpaymentsasaconditionoftheirreceipt. EITIValidation:bytheendof2017,onthebasisofthesereforms,achievevalidationunderthe ExtractiveIndustriesTransparencyInitiative. Community Monitoring and Benefits: by October 2017, provide for community monitoring of extractive activities, linked to a mandate for affected communities to receive an appropriate percentageoflegalrevenuesorprofitsfromextraction. 6. IMPROVECIVILSOCIETYPARTICIPATIONINGOVERNANCE Civil Society organizations (CSOs) must be recognized as a key partner in governance and fighting corruptioninthecountry.theengagementofcsosnandthepublicatlargeninthestatebuildingprocess willleadtogreatersocialaccountabilityinthepublicsectorandagreaterlevelofadherencetotransparency standards. Toachievethis,theAfghangovernmentshouldcommitto: CSOandANPDF:byendof2016,Incollaborationwiththeinternationalcommunity,ensureand provideplatformsandresourcesforcsosandtheafghanpeopletoengageinpolicydialogueand play meaningful roles in monitoring and benchmark setting of the NUG s deliveries of the new ANPDFincludingthroughpublicforums,mediaengagement,andshadowreports. Integrity Pacts: by end of 2017, hold ministers and department chiefs accountable to the implementationofministriesanticorruptionplansbysigningandpublicizingintegritypactswith civilsocietythemediaanddonorsinvolvedinthesector. MandateInputfromCivilSociety:byendof2017,requireallgovernmentinstitutionstoinclude civilsocietyinputsinthedevelopmentofanynewgovernanceorantincorruptionlegislationand policies. Support and Protect investigative Media: by December 2016, publicly support and promote investigativejournalismandensurethesecurityofinvestigativejournalists. 7. CUSTOMS,TAXES&BUSINESSENVIRONMENT HighlevelsofcorruptionthreatenAfghangovernmentrevenuecollection,especiallyviacustomsreceipts, andsignificantlyobstructtheoveralleconomy,especiallybusinessinvestment,trade,andjobcreation.the Afghan government has made improving the overall economy and reforming customs processes an importantpriorityandakeydevelopmentpillar.inordertoimprovethebusinessenvironmentandimprove revenuegeneration,theafghangovernmentshouldcommitto: DomesticTaxRevenueTransparency:byDecember2017,theAfghanGovernmentwillhave signedontoandhavebegunimplementationoftheaddistaxinitiativeandthecommonreporting Standard (formally known as the Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information),toensurebettertaxrevenuetransparencyandaccountability. CustomsReformandTransparency:byJune2017,thegovernmentwillreformcustomsservices inlinewiththeprinciplessetoutinthearushadeclarationoftheworldcustoms Organization (WCO),includingbyadvertisingratesandproceduresatbordersandinlandcustomsdepots,on Afghangovernmentwebsites,andthroughpublicservicemessages. Trade Reforms: by December 2018, the Afghan Government will fulfill its World Trade Organization (WTO) transparency commitments by enacting and implementing legislation, regulations,andpracticesmandatedinitswtoaccessionpackage. 4