Al Jazeera English - News - Afghan Opium Growth 'Hits New High'

UPDATED ON:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008
22:52 MECCA TIME, 19:52 GMT

NEWS CENTRAL/S. ASIA





Afghan opium growth 'hits new high'

Fourteen per cent of Afghans are involved in the opium trade [GALLO\GETTY]

The US has warned that opium production in Afghanistan reaching record levels, undermining efforts to legitimise the economy and supplying the Taliban with funds for weapons.

The US state department release its report on the issue as Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato's secretary-general, met George Bush in Washington to discuss Afghanistan.

"Narcotics production in Afghanistan hit historic highs in 2007 for the second straight year," said the report, released on Friday.

"[The country's] drug trade is undercutting efforts to establish a stable democracy with a licit economic free market in the country."

Last year more than 93 per cent of the world's opium came from Afghanistan, the report said, while more than 14 per cent of Afghans were involved in poppy production in 2007, up from 12.6 per cent in 2006.

The report said 2007's crop had an export value of about four billion dollars, more than one-third of Afghanistan's gross domestic product (GDP).

"The Afghan government must take decisive action against poppy
cultivation soon to turn back the drug threat before its further
growth and consolidation make it even more difficult to defeat," the
annual report added.

'Long Haul'

Scheffer, left, held talks with Bush on
Friday [AFP]

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, secretary-general of Nato, said on Friday that the group's forces cannot afford to lose the battle against Taliban forces in Afghanistan and will remain in the country "for the long haul".

Speaking after talks with George Bush, the US president, Scheffer said the force was "fighting terrorism" and "prevailing" in the battle.

Bush said that the United States remained "committed" to Afghanistan and to a strategy "helps folks in Afghanistan realise security, at the same time, economic prosperity and political progress".

About 43,000 soldiers from 26 countries are currently serving under Nato in Afghanistan.

Additional troops

The International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), serving under a United Nations mandate, has grown from 16,000 to 43,000 troops, of whom about one-third are from the US.

US officials and Isaf commanders have been urging the deployment of an additional 7,500 troops in the country.

However several Nato countries have been wary of public sentiment against such moves, particularly in sending forces to Afghanistan's dangerous southern provinces.

Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, caused controversy earlier this month after telling the US senate armed services committee that the reluctance of some Nato allies to send troops was threatening efforts to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Source: Agencies

Related:
	Nato troops die in Afghan attack (27 Feb 2008)
	Gates urges Afghan burden sharing (10 Feb 2008)

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