11 December 2005 Kabul, Afghanistan : The European Commission (EC) signed an agreement to contribute Euro 15 million to the Afghan Government’s Counter Narcotics Trust Fund (CNTF) on 6 December in an effort to support initiatives aimed at expanding sustainable livelihood options for the people of Afghanistan and the counter-narcotic policies of the Afghan Government. “The government’s multifaceted approach to counter narcotics production though both strengthened law enforcement capacity and alternative livelihoods needs continued international support,” says Karl Harbo, Head of the EC Delegation to Afghanistan.
The objective of CNTF is to mobilize additional resources needed to support the efforts of the Afghan Government to meet the National Drug Control Strategy objectives. The key principles behind the Trust Fund include: providing additional resources for the government’s counter narcotics efforts through the national development budget; ensuring transparency and accountability in the allocation of those resources; enabling the government to have greater ownership over implementation of its counter narcotics strategy; and promoting greater coherence in the funding of counter narcotics-related activities.
Whilst managed by UNDP, the Fund’s activities will be executed by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan who retains overall responsibility for the nationally managed programme through its designated institutions – the Ministries of Finance and Counter Narcotics. The line ministries, as the implementing partners of the Trust Fund, will work closely with the Ministry of Counter Narcotics to identify, develop and propose counter narcotics-related projects within their mandated area.
The Trust Fund works upon eight pillars for intervention, namely: Alternative Livelihoods; Building Institutions; Information Campaign; Drug Law Enforcement; Criminal Justice; Eradication; Drug Demand Reduction and Treatment of Drug Addicts; and Regional Co-operation. The EC contribution is not allocated to any specific pillar at this stage and the exact nature of how the money will be spent will be determined at a later date.
The EC joins Australia and New Zealand as seed contributors to the Fund.
Since 2002, EC has contributed a total of $200 m. to UNDP managed projects.
For more information please contact:
Mr. Raul Gasteazoro , CN Trust Fund Manager, UNDP
Telephone: +93 (0) 79 9193 673 Email: raul.gasteazoro@undp.org
Mr. Harold Paul Ryan , Press Officer, EC Delegation to Afghanistan
Telephone: + 93 (0)79 9322 539 Email: harold.ryan@cec.eu.int
Mr. Abdul Haleem Wahidi , Acting Programme Manager-Strategy/CNTF, Ministry of Counter Narcotics
Telephone: +93 (0) 79 9103079 Email: haleem.wahidi@mcn.gov.af
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