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SIGAR Issues Final Report on Two Decades of U.S. Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan

Closeup of Ruffled Afghanistan Flag, Afghanistan Flag Blowing in Wind

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has released its final report, closing out nearly 17 years of independent oversight of U.S.-funded reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. Published December 3, 2025, the report offers a comprehensive accounting of SIGAR’s work, tallying the amount of U.S. funding lost through waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as the cost savings generated through audits and investigations. It also includes SIGAR’s concluding reflections on the $148 billion reconstruction effort—drawing on newly conducted interviews with senior U.S. officials and Afghanistan experts.

Since its creation in 2008, SIGAR has served as the lead oversight body for U.S. reconstruction programs, tracking how approximately $148.21 billion was spent to build Afghan security forces, strengthen governance, support development projects, and combat narcotics and corruption. Congress established SIGAR to provide independent audits, inspections, and investigations aimed at improving efficiency, identifying vulnerabilities, and ensuring U.S. agencies remained informed about deficiencies and corrective actions.

SIGAR’s final publication summarizes its cumulative findings across thousands of audits and investigations conducted since 2002. Its oversight work has helped recover or prevent the loss of millions of taxpayer dollars, highlighted systemic risks, and documented lessons learned from one of the largest reconstruction efforts in U.S. history.

The full report provides a detailed look at the scope of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan’s reconstruction and offers insights intended to inform future large-scale stabilization and development missions.

Read SIGAR’s full Final Report here.

(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)

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