To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime report Afghanistan’s Drug Industry; and what effect she expects this report to have on the counter-narcotics benchmark in the London Compact. (104673)

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Report highlights the impacts of the opium economy on Afghanistan’s economy, society and political institutions. It underscores the need for a balanced approach to addressing the problem. The Afghan Government’s National Drug Control Strategy (NDCS) with its four priorities of targeting the trafficker, strengthening livelihoods, reducing demand and developing effective institutions, represents a balanced approach. The NDCS provides a framework for meeting the Compact benchmarks. The UK and the international community must continue to support the Afghan Government to sharpen the delivery of their strategy so that progress towards the Compact benchmarks continues.