According to an official release issued Nov. 11 by the Afghan Ministry of Finance, Mr. Pino Arlacchi, the former Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (1997-2002), met in Kabul with Afghan Deputy Finance Minister Maulawi Hamdullah Zahid. “In this meeting, Mr. Pino Arlacchi admitted that along with other developments in Afghanistan, there has been an unprecedented decrease in drug cultivation and smuggling,” the statement reads.
Arlacchi added: “This positive step is good news for Afghanistan and the world. Therefore, it is necessary for the international community to cooperate with Afghan farmers in providing alternative cultivation of poppy.” The statement continued: “Maulawi Hamdullah Zahid, Administrative Deputy Minister & Kafil of MoF, thanked Mr. Arlacchi for his positive opinion and added that drug cultivation, production and trafficking is a challenge for all countries, which the I.E.A. (The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) is in struggle against it and the international community should help in creating alternative ways for Afghan farmers in this regard. Maulawi Hamdullah Zahid also mentioned that I.E.A. is ready for any kind of constructive cooperation and face-to-face dialogue with countries and organizations of the world in the field of drug eradication and interdiction.”
