Mullah Baradar discusses alternative crops to poppies with former director of ODCCP

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the economic deputy prime minister, met with the former executive director of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), Pino Arlacchi, to discuss the fight against drugs and the need for alternate crops following the ban on the cultivation of poppies.

They also discussed the need for joint cooperation between the IEA and the international community in fighting drugs.

Baradar said that the Islamic Emirate has taken a serious stance against the cultivation and smuggling of drugs in Afghanistan and currently the level of production and smuggling is down to “almost zero”.

According to Baradar, the Islamic Emirate rounded up thousands of drug addicts, treated them well and started vocational training programs for them.

“With the advent of an independent system and total security in Afghanistan, good ground has been laid for the promotion of alternative cultivation and international organizations can cooperate with Afghans in this regard,” Baradar said.

Arlacchi meanwhile praised the IEA for its fight against drugs and said that the international community has an obligation to provide alternatives to poppy farming.

Arlacchi added that they want to hold an international conference in Kabul in the near future and through this conference want to attract international financial support in providing alternative crops to Afghan farmers.