UN chief urges Afghanistan to prioritise anti-drugs effort
February 17th, 2012 - 5:38 am ICT by IANSVienna, Feb 17 (IANS) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the Afghan government to prioritise its efforts to eradicate illicit drugs in the war-torn country, warning “time is not on our side”, Xinhua reported.
Addressing the Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact held in Vienna Thursday, Ban said: “Drug trafficking and transnational organised crimes undermine the health of fragile states, weaken the rule of law and hinder our attempts to meet the Millennium Development Goals.”
Citing Afghan Opium Survey 2011 released by UN anti-crimes agency, Ban told partners of the Paris Pact that poppy cultivation has increased by 7 percent and opium production has increased by 61 percent in last year.
“We cannot expect stability when 15 percent of Afghanistan’s Gross Domestic Product comes from the drugs trade,” Ban said, adding “We cannot speak of sustainable development when opium production is the only viable economic activity in the country.”
“Time is not on our side.. above all, the Afghan Government must prioritise the issue of narcotics,” he said.
Ban also urged “law enforcement agencies to work harder on eradicating crops, eliminating laboratories, keeping precursors from entering the country, and inhibiting drug trafficking.”
He warned that there could be no real success without reducing the demand, calling for the international community to stand with Afghanistan in the fight against drugs.
The Paris Pact meeting, meant to review steps taken to reduce production and trafficking of opiates from Afghanistan, drew senior officials from more than 50 countries.
- India to host meet against drugs trafficking - Nov 13, 2011
- UN survey finds 'major drug abuse' in Afghanistan - Jun 21, 2010
- Afghan lawmakers ask Russia for help ahead of US exit - Dec 03, 2011
- UN says rising opium prices threaten fight against drug production in Afghanistan - Jan 21, 2011
- India among top drugs hotspots: UN report (Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- 2010 Afghan opium production at 'lowest level' since 2003 - Oct 01, 2010
- Cabinet allows private sector to produce poppy concentrate - Jan 12, 2012
- Afghanistan producing more opium: official - Nov 22, 2011
- Obama names India, Pakistan among drug majors - Sep 17, 2010
- Obama identifies Pakistan as "major transit country" for narcotics - Sep 17, 2010
- 400 kg hashish seized in Afghanistan - Nov 06, 2011
- Afghan opium cultivation to decrease this year - Feb 02, 2009
- Russia concerned over US plans to keep Afghan bases - Apr 20, 2012
- Brit taxpayers' money was used to fund al-Qaeda' in Afghanistan - Apr 26, 2011
- Afghan opium production to drop in 2010: UN - Feb 11, 2010
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