Afghan leader attacks corruption

Hamid Karzai vows to tackle corrupion

The president of Afghanistan has blamed a culture of corruption and bribery for deterring foreign firms from doing business in his country.

Hamid Karzai said 3,000 domestic and international firms had registered to invest in Afghanistan but have been put off by corruption, the AFP news agency reported.

"During my stay in London, one of the world's best-known people, who has vowed to invest lots of money in Afghanistan, seriously complained about corruption and bribery in our administration," the Afghan president was quoted as saying.

The investor was not named.

Afghan press reports also picked up on Mr Karzai's renewed pledge to end bribery, and said the situation had become worse under the current administration.

Prosperous future?

Mr Karzai promised to tackle the problem through a new administrative reform commission set up in April, and headed by vice president Amin Arsala.

"If we want to have a rich and prosperous country, first we need to establish an active and honest administration," Mr Karzai said.

Foreign investment is seen as an essential means of restore the health of the Afghan economy as aid flows dry up.

Mr Karzai asked for an additional $15bn to $20bn for reconstruction during his visit to London earlier this month.

He said the additional international aid was necessary to give Afghans what he had promised them by the end of the year: "A new currency, a better economy, better reconstruction of highways and dams, a fair political process".