§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Afghanistan Government's strategy for its fight against drugs; and what the UK's role was in the development of this strategy. [73786]
§ Mr. MacshaneThe Afghan Transitional Administration has made clear its determination to break Afghanistan's social and economic dependence on drugs. On 4 September President Karzai reiterated in a radio broadcast to the Afghan people his personal536W commitment to the implementation of the ban on drug cultivation, processing and trafficking introduced in January. The Afghan government has already carried out an eradication programme.
The UK is co-ordinating international anti-narcotics assistance to Afghanistan. In consultation with the Afghan Government, other donors and international (especially UN) agencies, the UK has developed a strategy for the long term elimination of drugs from Afghanistan. It identifies four key areas where the international community should focus its support: providing alternative livelihoods for opium poppy farmers; improving Afghan drug law enforcement capacity; building up the capacity of Afghan drug control institutions; and reducing drug demand in Afghanistan.