Statement by Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdeking, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Office of the United Nations and to other International Organizations, Vienna

Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact Partners on

Combating Illicit Traffic in Opiates Originating in Afghanistan

Vienna, 16 February 2012

Statement by

Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdeking

Head of the German Delegation

Mr. Chairman,

I would first of all like to thank the Russian Federation and France for having taken the initiative for this conference and Austria for hosting it in such an excellent manner.

The International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn identified the production, trafficking and consumption of drugs as a grave threat not only to Afghanistan’s security but also as a grave threat to international peace and stability overall. The most recent data of UNODC on the illicit production of opium in Afghanistan demonstrate that the results of our endeavours to tackle that threat have at best been mixed. The continuing high overall levels of poppy cultivation, increases in the production in Western and Eastern regions as well as the marked increase of drug abuse in Afghanistan are matters of utmost concern.

This conference takes place at a crucial juncture, a time when we look ahead to the process of Transition in Afghanistan to be completed by the end of 2014, and to be followed by a Decade of Transformation in which Afghanistan is to consolidate its sovereignty. At this crucial juncture the Vienna Declaration that we are going to adopt today is to chart the way towards strengthening cooperation in our fight against opiates originating in Afghanistan.

Germany remains committed to the principle of shared responsibility lying at the heart of the Paris Pact as defined in 2003. And we remain committed to pursuing a comprehensive approach in the fight against drugs, which requires tackling both the supply and the demand side.

Consistent with the requirement set out in the conclusions of the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn the role of international actors will in future increasingly focus on the support and capacity building for Afghan institutions, enabling the government of Afghanistan to exercise its sovereign authority in all its functions. Against the backdrop of the existing close links between insecurity, lack of agricultural assistance and opium cultivation we have already in the past attached particular importance to projects aimed at strengthening state institutions, improving governance and providing for alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers. In this regard I would specifically underline the need to support the criminal justice system and to build an effective civilian police force in Afghanistan. These are areas where we will continue our support also in the future.

I would particularly like to underline the role of UNODC as the primary focal point and driver for the Paris Pact initiative. As one of the largest contributors to UNODC we remain committed to strengthening UNODC in this role. The Paris Pact provides the framework for addressing the threat posed by illicit opiates production in Afghanistan and to do so in a spirit of partnership and cooperation. We need to harness the opportunities provided by it. Afghan opium kills 100.000 people every year, worldwide; and it is also to a large extent responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS. This should serve as a stark reminder of the scope of the problem and of the need to tackle it jointly and effectively.