The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction in their latest quarterly report have reiterated that the narcotics economy in Afghanistan which despite giving more revenue to farmers, benefits the Taliban as well, has “become an existential threat to the Afghan state”.
In the “Lessons Learnt Report” section of the SIGAR document, it was pointed out that from 2006 to 2016, the cultivation of poppy has increased by 69%.
Calling on the US government for an effective counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan, the SIGAR report also emphasises on deviating the financial flows out of poppy cultivation away from insurgents and terrorist groups while combating drug related corruption.
Another crucial step to be taken as per the report is to channelise the energies and effort of current poppy cultivators into alternative and safe means of livelihoods.
