USAID Squandered The First $50 Million Of A $200 Million Infrastructure Project In Afghanistan

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/usaid-spent-50-million-on-workshops-2013-7



USAID, an enormous component of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, is squandering its budget for a key stability program, this according to a new report from the special inspector general for Afghan reconstruction.

USAID has spent nearly one quarter of a $200 million budget to provide infrastructure and support to key areas of Afghanistan, but according to the inspector’s audit, virtually none of that money has gone toward the essential component of the program.

The program was designed to address key areas of instability defined by communities in Afghanistan, but the $47 million that’s been spent to date has gone toward conferences or overhead costs and workshops.

In a war where costs are in the hundreds of billions of dollars, but tangible progress has been elusive, many have accused USAID of measuring success in dollars and cents, which encourages frivolous spending.



Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/usaid-spent-50-million-on-workshops-2013-7#ixzz2aRXoQnlW

[snooper2]

1. Here is a link to USAID map on projects in Afghanistan

http://afghanistan.usaid.gov/en/activities

[matthews]

2. What a pity. That would have paid for quite a few Meals on Wheels or

helped a bunch of kids get a break early in life through Head Start.