Afghanistan
Trafficking of opiates from Myanmar and Afghanistan into East Asia and the Pacific
Afghanistan
Building resilience to opium poppy cultivation by strengthening the design of alternative development interventions: evidence from Afghanistan
The present article evaluates farmer and community characteristics that promote resilience to opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. In general resilience-building can be associated with measures to manage changes in contexts of long-lasting or recurring crisis as opposed to measures aimed at controlling changes in stable systems. Afghanistan is a country in a state of constant protracted crisis. As expected the evidence gathered in the field suggests that farmers need sources of income that are not only profitable but also sustainable over time in order to keep them from cultivating opium poppy.
Executive Summary
Since 2001 the Government of Afghanistan has placed significant emphasis on institutionalizing reforms aimed at improving the country's overall business and investment climate improving supplyside competitiveness of key priority sectors (both goods-and services-based) and strengthening regional integration. The private sector is provided a prominent role to participate in policymaking debates affecting business and investment. However Afghanistan continues to face security challenges that are inhibiting these promising efforts. These conditions that are exerting downward pressures on the economy are evident by the registered decline in the GDP rate (2.4 per cent in 2018 from 2.7 per cent in 2017)1 and is expected to affect job creation as well as further productive growth. As a post-conflict country in reform the country faces a multitude of important hurdles to overcome.
Conclusion
Afghanistan wishes to expand its position as an economic link between Europe Central Asia the Middle East South Asia and East Asia in addition to providing socioeconomic gains to its citizens through trade led growth. This assessment finds that development of Afghanistan's e-commerce ecosystem will be an essential ingredient in this eventual success story.
Preface
The eTrade for all Initiative launched at the fourteenth Ministerial Conference of UNCTAD in July 2016 is a practical example of how to harness the digital economy in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development notably Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 8 9 and 17. The initiative seeks to raise awareness enhance synergies and increase the scale of existing and new efforts by the development community to strengthen the ability of developing countries to engage in and benefit from e-commerce by addressing seven relevant policy areas.
Methodology
A four-step approach was used for the Rapid eTrade Readiness Assessment for Afghanistan to ensure a high level of participation and engagement of key stakeholders in the consultative process.
Acknowledgements
This Rapid eTrade Readiness Assessment for Afghanistan was prepared by Rahul Bhatnagar in close collaboration with a team comprising Cécile Barayre Marian Pletosu and Dominic Leong under the overall guidance of Torbjörn Fredriksson. An UNCTAD team comprising of two national consultants Malyar Jabarkhel and Saleem Ahmadzai lent valuable technical and coordination-based support. UNCTAD's ASYCUDA field coordinator in Afghanistan Reza Mohammadi was instrumental in providing guidance on project management matters.