UNDCP Afghanistan closing down by end of Dec

By Mariana Baabar - The News Int.

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in Afghanistan, is closing down at the end of the current month due to lack of funds. "We will be closing down six months in advance because of lack of funding.

Initially the donors had promised us $16 million for a period from 1997 till 2001. However, we have been able to only utilise $10 million for various projects for Afghanistan, but the rest of $6 million is not coming to the UNDCP", Bernard Frahi, representative at the UNDCP, told The News here on Friday.

The UNDCP was getting funds on yearly basis instead of at one time, which meant that no one knew whether to plan ahead or not. However, diplomats said scarcity of fresh funds for the UNDCP could be politically motivated also.

"In fact the UNDCP, was the only UN organisation that managed to convince the Taliban government to fulfill their international obligations of not growing poppy and curbing drug trafficking. The executive director of the UNDCP is also committed to this aspect which has resulted in a very positive reaction from the Taliban," said Bernard Frahi.

Meanwhile, senior Pakistan government officials said with the impending UN sanctions against Afghanistan and reports that this landlocked country is to be attacked, the Taliban might resort to go back to poppy cultivation. The UNDCP said it has successfully completed four projects related to drug abuse centres and monitoring poppy cultivation. "Some projects set up by the agency will continue to function."