U.S. Award For Afghan Justice 'Deficient'

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Federal inspectors say a U.S. government award to an organization that promotes the rule of law in Afghanistan does not appear to contain basic oversight provisions from the State Department. In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry on July 24, the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said there were "serious deficiencies" in the award to the Rome-based International Development Law Organization. The award, meant to benefit the Afghanistan Justice Training Transition Program, is expected to cost U.S. taxpayers about $50 million. Special Inspector General John Sopko said lack of oversight requirements could indicate that the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is scaling back on its oversight of a program that is considered central to U.S. efforts to promote the rule of law in Afghanistan. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department.