Bribery's Complex Web In Afghanistan: A Cultural Conundrum Or Necessary Evil?

Bribery and corruption have been a widespread and growing problem in Afghanistan for decades. Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks the country 162nd out of 180 countries. The problem is so pervasive that in 2012, 68% of Afghans found it acceptable for civil servants to bolster their salary by charging bribes to service users.

The issue has been fuelled by the US, which has pumped billions of dollars into the country since the 2001 invasion. This money has often ended up in the hands of corrupt officials, warlords, and criminals. In 2016, Ryan Crocker, a two-time US ambassador to Afghanistan, said: You just cannot put those amounts of money into a very fragile state and society, and not have it fuel corruption. You just can't.

Bribery is commonplace in Afghanistan. According to the UN, 50% of Afghans paid bribes in 2012, with some parts of the country reaching 70%. Bribes are paid to secure most public services, with prosecutors, teachers, judges, and customs officials being the most likely recipients.

Bribery in the education sector

The MEC found that the education sector is the single largest employer in the civil sector, with the Ministry of Education (MoE) constituting 68% of its total. The report noted that "corruption related to the appointment of teachers was the principal issue reported by over 90% of interviewees." It was also found that payments for appointment were widespread, with applicants paying an average of USD 800 to USD 1,000 for a teaching position. This has resulted in teachers having to seek additional work outside of school to support themselves and their families.

The MEC report also highlighted issues with textbook distribution, noting that students across the country have to buy their own textbooks, which are meant to be provided for free. The report states that "a stark reality which consistently confronted the MVCA researchers in the field, has been the absence of textbooks in classrooms." It was observed that in some cases, students had to share textbooks, while in other cases, students had to buy their own textbooks from the local bazaar.

The MEC made several recommendations to address corruption in the education sector, including local responsibility, institutional reforms, legal reforms, increased transparency, and better enforcement. The report calls for school communities to bear the primary responsibility for selecting their teachers, rather than the corrupt MoE provincial departments. It also recommends a reduction in the size and scope of the MoE to make it more manageable and less vulnerable to corruption.

Bribery in the traffic department

Bribery is a widespread problem in Afghanistan, and it is particularly common in the traffic department.

In Afghanistan, driving licences can be easily forged and bought, and many drivers on the road have not passed a driving test. Licences can be purchased from "touts", or agents, for about 8,000 afghans ($140) in Kabul, and for about half that amount in the provinces. These agents keep a small part of the fee for themselves and use the rest to bribe various traffic officials, who process and issue forged documents.

In interviews with 100 drivers in Kabul, 40% said they had obtained their licence through regular channels, while the rest had paid a bribe or were driving without one. More than half of the interviewees confirmed they had paid a bribe.

The process of obtaining a licence involves jumping through bureaucratic hoops. A driver's licence requires 27 separate signatures, and a new driver's licence requires about a dozen stamps from ministries, agencies and banks. These requirements have led to the formation of a black market that involves the bribing of public officials to expedite traffic documents.

In addition to the financial cost, the time and effort involved in obtaining a licence through legitimate means can also be a barrier for some people. For example, Mohammad Haleem, a Kabul resident, paid a tout 7,000 afghans ($122) to obtain a licence because he did not have the time to enrol in a driving course. All he had to do was take a medical test conducted by the traffic department, and the tout filled out the rest of the paperwork.

Similarly, Daryoosh from Panjsher province paid 7,000 afghans ($122) for a driver’s licence without attending any classes or taking a road test. When asked if he knew the traffic rules, Daryoosh admitted that he had been fined “many times” for breaking rules and that he had no idea whether his licence was legal.

While bribery can facilitate the process of obtaining a driver's licence, it also has negative consequences. Corruption in the traffic department has led to a lack of trust in the system and has contributed to a perception of Afghan institutions as exploitative. In addition, the lack of proper licensing and testing requirements puts unsafe drivers on the road, increasing the number of traffic accidents.

Efforts have been made to address the issue of bribery in the traffic department. For example, the police in cooperation with the traffic department have shortened the process of getting a licence to keep agents out of the equation. Intelligence officials are also working to prevent corruption, and the process of acquiring a driver’s licence has become more stringent since the start of 2014. However, bribery remains a common practice in the traffic department, and it continues to be a challenge for many Afghans to obtain a driver's licence without paying a bribe.

Bribery in the customs system

Customs agents are the most glaring offenders, appointed by ministers with the understanding that financial kickbacks will be given for the position. The Afghan government has provided ways for VIPs to bypass bulk currency counters at airports, which were provided by the US to prevent cash smuggling.

In one case, Mir Rahman Rahmani and his son, Ajmal Rahmani, collectively known as "the Rahmanis", were sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury for their extensive roles in transnational corruption. They were involved in a complex procurement corruption scheme, misappropriating millions of dollars from US government-funded contracts that supported Afghan security forces. The Rahmanis artificially inflated the price of fuel contracts, fraudulently imported and sold tax-free fuel, and under-delivered fuel owed on their contracts.

The US has attempted to address customs corruption in Afghanistan by providing bulk currency counters at airports to prevent cash smuggling. However, the Afghan government responded by providing a way for VIPs to bypass the machines.

Bribery in the police force

The issue of bribery in the police force is not a new one, and it has been prevalent since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. During this time, the United States and its allies focused on counterterrorism efforts and empowered local warlords, who often engaged in bribery and other corrupt practices. This led to the normalization of corruption within the police force and other government institutions.

In recent years, there have been efforts to address police corruption in Afghanistan. For example, in 2014, President Ashraf Ghani took a strong stance against corruption and dismissed several officials charged with corruption. Additionally, the United States established the Task Force Shafafiyat to combat corruption and improve transparency. However, despite these efforts, bribery and corruption remain pervasive issues within the Afghan police force.

The impact of bribery in the police force extends beyond the financial losses incurred by citizens. It also undermines the rule of law and erodes public trust in the government and its institutions. This has far-reaching consequences for the stability and security of the country, as a weak and corrupt police force is unable to effectively maintain law and order.

Furthermore, bribery in the police force has contributed to the rise of other forms of corruption, such as nepotism, graft, and illegal land transfers. This has further exacerbated the issue and created a sense of impunity among those engaged in corrupt practices.

To effectively address bribery in the police force, it is essential to implement systemic reforms that increase transparency and accountability. This includes improving budget transparency, strengthening anti-corruption agencies, and ensuring that corruption cases are properly investigated and prosecuted. Additionally, increasing the salaries of police officers and providing them with better equipment and resources can help reduce their reliance on bribes to supplement their income.

Overall, bribery in the Afghan police force is a complex and deeply entrenched issue that requires a comprehensive and sustained effort to address effectively. It is crucial to recognize that corruption is a significant challenge that needs to be tackled to promote good governance and improve the lives of Afghan citizens.

Bribery in the health sector

Health systems are particularly susceptible to corruption due to the large amounts of resources, information asymmetry, the large number of actors, system complexity and fragmentation, and the globalised nature of the supply chain for drugs and medical devices.

In Afghanistan, corruption is a widespread and growing problem. Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks the country 162nd out of 180 countries. The country's score of 20 indicates that it is perceived as highly corrupt.

Corruption in the health sector in Afghanistan is prevalent. Doctors and nurses are among the public employees who most frequently receive bribes. The average bribe to prosecutors and judges is over $300, while bribes to other officials are somewhat lower. In most cases, bribes are directly or indirectly requested by public officials. In 74% of cases, bribes are paid to speed up procedures, and in 28% of cases, they are paid to receive better treatment.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has recommended the creation of a "comprehensive monitoring system on corruption" to tackle the issue in Afghanistan. The monitoring system would include a sectoral analysis of the working conditions of civil servants and health workers to provide more specific information and assist in identifying targeted policy measures.

Overall, bribery in the health sector in Afghanistan is a significant issue that has severe consequences for access, quality, equity, efficiency, and efficacy of health services. It is an obstacle to the long-term goal of achieving universal health coverage in the country.

Frequently asked questions