Senator McCaul makes unproven claim on creation of fake NGOs

KABUL (Pajhwok): US Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul has claimed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has created fake NGOs to get US taxpayer’s money, a claim rejected by the IEA and some US officials also said the funding was strictly monitored.

“The Taliban is benefiting more than ever from U.S. taxpayer dollars,” said Representative, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “They steal from NGOs to enrich their fighters and to solidify their power.”

Fact Check:

According to the VoA report US officials overseeing assistance to Afghanistan told U.S. lawmakers Thursday that aid is rigorously monitored to prevent financial benefits from reaching the Taliban.

“We remain extremely vigilant against attempts to divert and interfere with assistance delivery. USAID takes its duty as a steward of U.S. taxpayer dollars extremely seriously, and we hold implementing partners to the highest standards,” said Michael Schiffer, assistant administrator, Bureau for Asia, U.S. Agency for International Development.

Assurances from the US State Department and USAID came after the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a January 8 letter that there were still unanswered questions about $3.5 billion in funds controlled by the Switzerland-based Afghan Fund.

Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of economy, while referring to McCaul claims, said that the IEA had no interference in the process of foreign funding.

“Our policy is to cooperate and create facilities for aid providing orgnisations, we try to ensure that the activities of national and international institutions continue transparently and that humanitarian aid is available to deserving people, we strongly reject the creation of fake organizations that have been published in some reports, we do not have any kind of intervention in the affairs of relief organizations, and the Islamic Emirate has not appointed its people to the United Nations offices, we only want to monitor the aid process to ensure it is free and fair,” he said.

McCaul comment regarding the creation of fake NGOs by the IEA is an unproved claim.

Outcome:

US Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul has not provide prove to support his claim, some US watchdogs also said that aid process is strictly monitored to ensure that funds not reached the IEA hands.

The Ministry of Economy which registered NGOs also said that IEA had no interference in the affairs of NGOs and aid providing institutions. It also said that IEA had not appointed its people in the UN offices.

Verdict:

Michael McCaul has made an unproved claim regarding the creation of fake NGOs by the IEA.

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