KABUL (PAN): US Ambassador Stephen G. McFarland and Minister of Counter-Narcotics Zarar Moqbel Osmani on Tuesday signed an agreement allocating id=”mce_marker”8.2 million (939 million afghanis) for programs supported by the Good Performers Initiative (GPI) awards.
GPI awards were presented to 21 provinces that achieved poppy-free status in 2012, reduced poppy cultivation by more than 10 percent from the previous year, or made other exceptional counter-narcotics efforts during the cultivation season. Seventeen provinces earned id=”mce_marker” million awards for being poppy-free.
The funds will be used to advance two major strategic objectives — fighting against poppy cultivation through an innovative political incentive programme that delivers high-impact development assistance and encouraging Afghans to improve their communities by driving down poppy cultivation.
At the signing ceremony, Ambassador McFarland said: “This is an important opportunity to recognise the outstanding leadership of the government of Afghanistan and the strong performance of numerous provinces in eliminating and reducing opium poppy cultivation in 2012.”
By: Obaidullah Hussam and Ataullah Khpulwok
Visits: 0
GET IN TOUCH
NEWSLETTER
SUGGEST A STORY
PAJHWOK MOBILE APP