05 August 2006

President Karzai chaired the regular meeting of the Council of Ministers’ counter-narcotic committee at the Gulkhana palace this morning.

In the meeting, the National Drug Control Strategy and its implementation plan, the role of groups outside the border in expanding drug trafficking and the information campaign to prevent cultivation of poppy were discussed.

In the meeting, major obstacles in the implementation of National Drug Control Strategy were identified:

- Lack of sufficient investment in all pillars of the strategy, especially on providing alternative livelihood.

- Lack of implementation capacity of the Afghan government in particular law enforcement agencies, insecurity, corruption, economic problems and lack of delivery of promises to the farmers.

The President after hearing the report, stressed on both government ministries and international community to work on a realistic, effective and focused plan that can really affect poppy cultivation and trafficking.

The President stressed that infrastructures and agricultural credit directly affect poppy cultivation. Government and international organizations should provide facilities to the farmers.

The President stressed that there was need for Afghan farmers to know more about negative effects of poppy cultivation and understand that poppy cultivation badly affects our country’s economy and will remain for long time.

In the meeting, it was proposed that the new US investment of US$ 80 million for provision of agricultural credit be examined and that more investment be done so that there be no need for farmers to get credit from smugglers and other illegal institutions.

In the meeting, it was decided that in the near future a council made up of all governors, chiefs of police, heads of provincial councils’ and elders from all provinces of Afghanistan be held to emphasize once again the government’s decision on eliminating to prevent poppy cultivation in the country and support those who engage in relaying to the people the messages that poppy cultivation is both illegal and is not in the interest of farmers and Afghanistan.