40. James Wasserstrom on the challenges of anti-corruption work in (post-)conflict regions

We welcome for a second time, Chief of Party for Democracy International in Afghanistan. James described how he almost overnight became an advisor involved in anti-corruption in a warzone, the challenges he faced and how his experiences in Kosovo, Ukraine and Afghanistan differed from each other. Matthew and James discuss the concrete challenges of dealing with corruption in conflict areas. James outlines why it is important to not compromise anti-corruption efforts, especially early as they are often hard to address later on and the challenges of winning hearts and minds in conflict areas. The interview outlines why it is important to take a strong stance - which might not always be popular - against corruption in such challenging environments