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Afghanistan Aims to Reduce Opium Poppy Cultivation by 40% by 2019

Kabul, Afghanistan - The Afghan government has set ambitious goals to reduce opium poppy cultivation and production in the country. As part of its National Drug Control Strategy, the government aims to decrease the net cultivation of opium poppy by 10% by 2016 and 40% by 2019.

Key Areas of Focus

The strategy focuses on several key areas, including:

  • Reducing cultivation
  • Improving law enforcement
  • Increasing cooperation with international partners

Crop Eradication and Alternative Development Programs

The government plans to achieve these goals through a combination of:

  • Crop eradication efforts using manual and mechanical methods
  • Alternative livelihood options for farmers who rely on opium poppy cultivation

Law Enforcement and Prosecution of Drug Traffickers

In addition to reducing cultivation, the strategy focuses on improving law enforcement and prosecution of drug traffickers. The government plans to:

  • Strengthen its border control and customs agencies
  • Increase cooperation with international partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks

International Support

The Afghan government is seeking support from the international community to achieve these goals. It has asked donors for funding to support crop eradication, alternative development programs, and law enforcement efforts.

“Afghanistan cannot tackle this problem alone,” said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan. “We need the support of our international partners to help us build a safer and more stable society.”

UNODC Support

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has welcomed the Afghan government’s strategy and offered its support.

“We commend the Afghan government for its commitment to reducing opium poppy cultivation and production,” said Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of UNODC. “We are happy to work with them to help achieve these goals.”

Metrics for Progress

The Afghan government has established several metrics to track progress towards its goals:

  • Reduction in opium poppy cultivation
  • Increase in seizures of opium, heroin, and precursor chemicals
  • Number of major narcotics traffickers convicted
  • Number of narcotics trafficking organizations disrupted or dismantled
  • Percentage of shipments correctly profiled by each Joint Port Control Unit

These metrics will be used to monitor progress towards the government’s goals and identify areas where additional support is needed.

Conclusion

The Afghan government’s National Drug Control Strategy reflects its commitment to addressing the root causes of poverty, corruption, and instability, and its determination to create a safer and more secure environment for all Afghans.