【VOA常速听力】Afghanistan Launches Afghan Compact

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has launched the Afghan government's new compact - a commitment to key reforms aimed at improving security and creating a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous society.

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert commended the Afghan government's plan to fight corruption and improve its governance.

“The implementation of the new commitments, which include benchmarks in four key areas – governance, security, peace and reconciliation, and economics – they carry with them the opportunities to improve the delivery of government services, stem official corruption, and prepare for secure national elections in 2018,” said Ms. Nauert.“The benchmarks are tied to global standards of good governance put forward by the World Bank and other leading institutions.”

The development of the compact and its ultimate implementation was an important consideration in the development of the administration's new South Asia strategy. Chief Executive Abdullah highlighted the fact, when he said that nation building is a job for the Afghans themselves to do and not the United States or other countries. “So we congratulate Afghanistan on that and look forward to any way that we can assist them,” said spokesperson Nauert.