Country Program: Afghanistan

Problem

Despite a remarkably successful ban on opium production in Taliban-controlled areas during the 2000-2001 growing season, Afghanistan remained one of the world’s leading opium producers by virtue of continued cultivation in its northern provinces. Drug trafficking from Afghanistan continued throughout 2001, as traffickers relied on opium stockpiles as their source. Following the Taliban’s collapse in late 2001, farmers throughout Afghanistan planted 45-65,000 hectares of opium poppy for harvesting in the spring of 2002.

On January 17, 2002, the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) announced a ban on poppy cultivation and followed this up with a strong and effective poppy eradication program. With the help of the United Kingdom’s compensation program, the AIA destroyed up to a quarter of this year’s spring poppy crop. The United States and the international community are working together to provide additional assistance in the areas of alternative development, institution building, training of the Afghan National Army and National Police Force as well as justice sector reform and rebuilding.

U.S. Counternarcotics Goals

• Minimize fall poppy cultivation by implementing alternative development, cash-for-work and credit programs with U.K., UN, and other donors for poppy growing areas. Employ an intensive public affairs campaign to assure Afghan buy-in;

• Strengthen Afghan law enforcement institutions in order to interdict shipments and destroy opium markets, stockpiles, and distribution networks;

• Strengthen regional drug interdiction and demand reduction programs through DEA’s Operation Containment and UNDCP programs; and

• Initiate Rebuilding of Afghan Civil Society and institutions to encourage anti-drug message through public diplomacy campaign, prevent drug use/abuse, and instill support for rule of law.

U.S. Programs

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) committed $11.5 million in fiscal year 2002 resources for quick-impact cash for work projects aimed at alleviating the combined effects of the AIA’s poppy eradication program and the drought. INL also contributed $1.7 million to the UN Drug Control Program for counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan.

The U.S. Government received $60 million in emergency supplemental FY 2002 funding from Congress for counternarcotics and law enforcement projects in Afghanistan. The supplemental money will fund projects in the following major areas:

Counternarcotics: $33.35 million

• Alternative Development/Income Generation: $26.0 million
• Drug Control Capacity Building: $ 5.35 million
• Anti-drug Public Affairs Campaign: $ 1.0 million
• Demand Reduction: $ 1.0 million

National Police and Justice Programs: $26.65 million