UNITED NATIONS - The UN has welcomed Wednesday's inauguration of an independent committee in Afghanistan tasked with monitoring and evaluating corruption in Afgha-nistan, where the problem continues to hold back or slow the pace of economic development. The new expert committee, comprised of three Afghans and three international staff, signals an important development in the fight against corruption, said the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in a press statement. The committee is charged with drafting clear benchmarks for progress in fighting corruption and with preparing regular reports measuring efforts to defeat the scourge. We hope that todays inauguration marks the beginning of a strong commitment towards full cooperation by all to fight corruption, the mission said. Afghanistan has long been plagued by corruption, and the non-governmental organization (NGO) Transparency International last year gave the country a global ranking of 176 out of 178 countries studied on the issue.