Afghanistan is by far the biggest producer of narcotic drugs. Developments in the past two centuries are a major cause for concern to the international communiy. By building a secure state with an viable government, the international community can try to break through the cycle of the drug economy.

The current interim administration under president Karzai is not able to provide a secure environment, a legal economy or the implementation of the rule of law. Consequently, an unstable Afghanistan with a flourishing drug economy - which constitutes the major income source for terrorist - threatens international security. The inexorable production of narcotic drugs and the existence of corruption that runs through all political ranks hinders the establishment of a strong government.

The Karzai administration is aware of the dangerous impact the drug industry has on the development and future of the Afghan state. Therefore, it is actively participating in the fight by introducing national projects, which are being carried out with the assistance of international partners. In addition to three UN anti-drug conventions that Afghanistan has signed, the international community intends to combat drug production on the basis of various regional and international agreements. The Bonn Agreement (2001) as well as the Afghanistan Compact (2006) provide the framework for all international efforts. Measures included therein focus on the reform of the security and justice sector as well as on proposals for alternative livelihoods. The introduction of alternative sources of income plays a vital role in the fight against drug production, giving farmers dependent on cultivation a chance to familiarize themselves with the production of legal agricultural products. Putting an end to the drug economy - especially in the next five years as outlined in the Afghanistan Compact - will not be a realizable goal. To successfully fight the drug economy an international, long-term commitment is required.

This paper was written in German for the University of Bonn.