Future U.S. Counternarcotics Efforts in Afghanistan
Abstract
I appreciate this opportunity to discuss the perilous state of the U.S. counternarcotics effort in Afghanistan. On my last trip to Afghanistan, I met with U.S., Afghan, and international officials involved in implementing and evaluating counternarcotics programs. In the opinion of almost everyone I spoke with, the situation in Afghanistan is dire with little prospect for improvement in2014 or beyond. Afghan farmers are growing more opium poppies today than at any time in their modern history. The UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates the value of opium plus its heroin and morphine derivatives produced by Afghanistan at nearly $3 billionor the equivalent of about 15 percent of Afghanistans Gross Domestic Product (GDP)in 2013.1 This was a substantial increase over 2012 when the value of Afghan opiates totaled about $2 billion and equaled about 11% of Afghanistans GDP.2The narcotics trade is poisoning the Afghan financial sector and fueling a growing illicit economy. This, in turn, is undermining the Afghan states legitimacy by stoking corruption, nourishing criminal networks, and providing significant financial support to the Taliban and other insurgent groups. There are already signs that elements within the Afghan National Security Forces are reaching arrangements with rural communities to allow opium poppy cultivation, or even encouraging production, as a way of building local patronage networks and to establish rent seeking opportunities.3In sum, the expanding cultivation and trafficking of drugs is one of the most significant factors putting the entire U.S. and international donor investment in the reconstruction of Afghanistan at risk. All of the fragile gains we have made over the last twelve years on womens issues, health, education, rule of law, and governance are now, more than ever, in jeopardy of being wiped out by the narcotics trade which not only supports the insurgency, but also feeds organized crime and corruption.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 15, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1140350
Entities
People
- John Sopko
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction