Press Release
CONNECTION
BETWEEN DRUGS AND CONFLICT MUST BE ADDRESSED IN AFGHANISTAN, SAYS
UN OFFICIAL TO NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS
The nexus between opium and insecurity
in Afghanistan and its implications for reconstruction and development were
addressed in a meeting today (Sunday) in Madeira of the NATO PA Committee on the
Civil Dimension of Security by Andrea Mancini of the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) and Emmanuel Reinert of the think tank Senlis
Council.
“Battling the connection between drugs and
conflict”, said Mancini “requires a long term commitment and the recognition
that opium in Afghanistan is as much a narcotic issue as matter of
insurgency”. But the international community’s response to the “three
interacting crises of security, poverty and opium”, added Reinert, “will not be
won on the battlefield alone”.
In order to gain the support of the Afghan
people by winning their hearts and minds, NATO and its partners, as well as the
UN and the EU, need to adopt an integrated strategy, which should include
effective poppy eradication but also serious economic incentives to the Afghan
population to abandon opium cultivation. However, as indicated by the Senlis
Council, forced eradication is fuelling support for the Taliban and the
insurgency, compromising Alliance troopsÂ’ safety and mission.
To avoid such a negative outcome, Mr.
Reinert illustrated a “poppy for medicine” strategy that could complement the
work of the UNODC. The model involves government and international community
controlled village-based poppy cultivation and production of medicine tablets.
“Afghan morphine tablets would help address the global demand for essential pain
medicine”, writes the Senlis Council, “and all economic profits will remain in
the village, allowing for economic
diversification”.
In a parallel strategy, NATO should step up
its efforts in increasing co-operation between the security and development
sectors. In particular, the AllianceÂ’s training and capacity building is essential to help
the Afghan government address the drug problem, particularly by developing its
army and police. This was also stressed by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer while addressing NATO legislators last Friday: “countries must do more
to help train and equip Afghanistan's national army and
police”.
While progress has been made in the
development of the Afghan National Army, “the situation appears to be somewhat
less successful with regard to the Afghan National Police”, said British
parliamentarian Frank Cook in his report on
Afghanistan to NATO PA Defence and Security Committee.
“Influence over local poppy policy enforcement”, writes Mr. Cook, “has also made
local police posts particularly vulnerable to the corrosive effects of the
narco-economy”.
Members of the Afghan parliament, participating for the
first time in an Assembly session, contributed to the discussions in
Madeira today and, while praising
Mr. CookÂ’s effort, they also reminded delegates that their countryÂ’s problems
should be seen in a broader regional context and encouraged the international
community to adopt a more structured regional strategy. Members of the Pakistani
parliament also participated for the first time in an Assembly session in
Madeira.
For further information, please contact
NATO
PA PRESS OFFICE
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