§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further measures are planned to help combat opium production in Afghanistan. [138429]
§ Mr. RammellThe UK is the lead nation on Counter Narcotics (CN) in Afghanistan and has a PSA target to contribute to a reduction in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan by 70 per cent. in five years with elimination in 10 years. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the UK are working closely with the Afghan Transitional Administration to help them implement their National Drug Control Strategy.
The UK has developed a plan of activities to support the Afghan authorities in implementing their Strategy, including law enforcement, institution building, drugs demand reduction and alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers.
As the lead nation, the UK has committed £70 million over three years and posted additional personnel to Afghanistan to lead this work. It is also planned to hold a counter-narcotics conference in February 2004 in Kabul, involving Afghan and international representation, to encourage further international support for the delivery of the Afghan strategy. I will co-host this with President Karzai.