Washington, Dec 24: The US administration has admitted that Washington has failed to curb narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan.
The US State Department on Wednesday criticized Washington’s 2-billion-dollar plan to combat drug trade in Afghanistan for poor oversight and lack of strategy.
According to a report by the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the US counter-narcotics efforts do not have clear objectives.
The report also criticized a shift of focus from eradicating poppy fields to interdiction of drug organizations and alternative crop projects, despite a consensus among US agencies.
The report also added that US embassies in Afghanistan and Pakistan do not coordinate well on the issue.
It also criticizes poorly-written contracts for counternarcotics works.
“The department has not clarified an end state for counternarcotics efforts, engaged in long-term planning, or established performance measures for its multi-pillared approach to counter poppy cultivation and the resultant illegal narcotics industry,” the report said.
“Although the department is planning new counternarcotics actions … there is no agreement on appropriate roles for either civilian agencies or the US military,” it said.
Afghanistan produces roughly 90 percent of the world’s illicit opium.
–Agencies