'We need to be there' — SIGAR chief on future US role in Afghan reconstruction

The U.S. government has spent more than $103 billion on rebuilding Afghanistan, and one person has been tasked with making sure that investment doesn’t go to waste. John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, was appointed in 2012 by U.S. President Obama to root out, report and prevent instances of waste, fraud and abuse of U.S. taxpayer dollars. In doing so, the SIGAR chief pulls no punches. He speaks openly and often about reconstruction and development programs gone awry — poorly constructed buildings, unused vehicles, missing strategies — and takes his complaints to think tanks, television and Twitter. Now is an especially crucial time in the reconstruction effort, as U.S. troops are withdrawing, large portions of the war-torn country are becoming inaccessible to international oversight, and donors are increasingly relying on local partners for implementation and supervision of development projects. We sat down with Sopko in our Washington, D.C., studio to learn more what needs to happen to ensure this initiative stays on track, as well as what he hopes will be his own legacy as U.S. involvement in Afghanistan’s future transitions toward an uncertain future. Here is our full interview with the SIGAR chief: Check out more insights and analysis provided to hundreds of Executive Members worldwide, and subscribe to the Development Insider to receive the latest news, trends and policies that influence your organization.