FCO Comments on Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan (27/08/2007)
From an FCO offcial spokesman:
'The increase in Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for a second year in a row is a real cause for concern. This has been driven by rising cultivation in Helmand and the South, in areas where security conditions prevent us from pursuing an integrated approach. The figures for Helmand are particularly disappointing.
'But there are signs of progress. In parts of the north, and centre, cultivation is coming down or stabilising and the number of poppy free provinces has increased from 6 to 13. Balkh, once the third largest poppy cultivator in the country has been declared poppy free. This progress suggests that the integrated approach to the narcotics problem set out by the Afghan government can produce results. In these areas we need to reinforce progress.
'On the 9 August Lord Malloch-Brown announced a future package of measures to tackle the drugs trade in Afghanistan including an additional £22.5 million for the Afghan interdiction forces.
'However, we must be realistic in our expectations for progress. Ridding Afghanistan of this curse will take a generation, perhaps more - in Thailand and Pakistan it took 15 to 20 years. There are no short cuts to ending the drug trade and we must be wary of silver bullet solutions, which will not work. We have learnt from successes in Pakistan and SE Asia that a balanced approach is essential.'
Notes to editors
Helmand is the main source of opium poppy production in the country. Cultivation in Helmand has risen by 48% following a 162% rise in 2006. The province is now responsible for over half of the entire Afghan poppy crop.
Of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, 13 are now poppy free as opposed to just 6 last year
On the 9 August the British government announced a package of measures to help accelerate the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) in the north and centre and respond to the situation in Helmand and the south. This package of activities includes an additional £22.5 million for the Afghan interdiction forces to disrupt the operations of influential traffickers and weaken their links to the insurgency. It puts a greater focus on military support for counter narcotics. And it provides further funding to help expand the Good Performers Initiative to provide an incentive for governors to reduce cultivation in their provinces.
The Afghan government’s NDCS is a balanced, eight pillar plan which includes the whole range of activities required to combat the drugs trade.
'The increase in Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan for a second year in a row is a real cause for concern. This has been driven by rising cultivation in Helmand and the South, in areas where security conditions prevent us from pursuing an integrated approach. The figures for Helmand are particularly disappointing.
'But there are signs of progress. In parts of the north, and centre, cultivation is coming down or stabilising and the number of poppy free provinces has increased from 6 to 13. Balkh, once the third largest poppy cultivator in the country has been declared poppy free. This progress suggests that the integrated approach to the narcotics problem set out by the Afghan government can produce results. In these areas we need to reinforce progress.
'On the 9 August Lord Malloch-Brown announced a future package of measures to tackle the drugs trade in Afghanistan including an additional £22.5 million for the Afghan interdiction forces.
'However, we must be realistic in our expectations for progress. Ridding Afghanistan of this curse will take a generation, perhaps more - in Thailand and Pakistan it took 15 to 20 years. There are no short cuts to ending the drug trade and we must be wary of silver bullet solutions, which will not work. We have learnt from successes in Pakistan and SE Asia that a balanced approach is essential.'
Notes to editors
Helmand is the main source of opium poppy production in the country. Cultivation in Helmand has risen by 48% following a 162% rise in 2006. The province is now responsible for over half of the entire Afghan poppy crop.
Of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, 13 are now poppy free as opposed to just 6 last year
On the 9 August the British government announced a package of measures to help accelerate the National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) in the north and centre and respond to the situation in Helmand and the south. This package of activities includes an additional £22.5 million for the Afghan interdiction forces to disrupt the operations of influential traffickers and weaken their links to the insurgency. It puts a greater focus on military support for counter narcotics. And it provides further funding to help expand the Good Performers Initiative to provide an incentive for governors to reduce cultivation in their provinces.
The Afghan government’s NDCS is a balanced, eight pillar plan which includes the whole range of activities required to combat the drugs trade.
