Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the situation in Afghanistan and the prospects for future stability there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30816/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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While significant progress has been achieved in Afghanistan over the past four years very considerable challenges still remain, above all on the security front. In any country, developing the democratic structures, institutions and administrative systems necessary to provide essential public services and to ensure a secure environment for all its people is a process that takes time. The Afghan people have elected a President and a Parliament and have a legitimate elected Government which is working to consolidate the progress that has already been made. A Chief Justice is now in place as is a new Prosecutor General who has launched a major initiative against corruption. Members of the Parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, have recently formed parliamentary groups. The reform process is continuing with the assistance of the international community across all sectors, including the administrative and judicial systems, the police service and the army.

Ensuring security in Afghanistan is an especially challenging and complex task, particularly given the presence of violent factions who stand to benefit considerably from a destabilised country. The security situation remains a cause of serious concern. Levels of insurgency-related violence and fatalities have risen since the beginning of the year and attacks, including suicide bombings, aimed at the UN mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), other international security forces and Afghan security forces, have increased.

The level of insurgency intensified in recent months in the context of ISAF assuming control for the Southern region of Afghanistan, a deployment which took effect on 31 July. The Afghan National Army (ANA) and ISAF have since been engaged in heavy fighting with Taliban insurgents in the South. ISAF has been combining military operations in the South, mainly around Kandahar, with its more conventional peace-keeping duties in the rest of the country. The main phase of this operation has now been successfully completed and has resulted in ANA and ISAF being able to establish themselves in erstwhile key centres of Taliban resistance. ISAF, under NATO leadership, will shortly deploy to the eastern part of Afghanistan, hitherto the exclusive domain of the ANA and the US-led international coalition, Operation Enduring Freedom. At that point ISAF will be responsible for security assistance in the whole country. At the same time, the continuing challenge from the Taliban is clearly very worrying.

The illicit narcotics industry also remains a major challenge to the long-term security, development and effective governance of Afghanistan. In co-operation with the international community, the Afghan Government operates a Counter Narcotics Implementation Plan and a National Drugs Control Strategy in an effort to work towards elimination of the narcotics trade. Reported statistics for the 2005-2006 opium crop are disappointing. Though eradication rose by 210%, production is believed to have still increased significantly. Counter narcotics efforts will be a particularly important challenge in the period ahead.

An Afghanistan Compact was launched at the International Conference on Afghanistan in London on 31 January/1 February and was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 1659 (2006) on 15 February. The Compact will guide the joint efforts of the Afghan Government and the international community in meeting outstanding challenges across three pillars of activity: security; governance; rule of law and human rights, and economic and social development. Counter-narcotics was identified as a cross-cutting priority in the Compact. The Compact notes that Afghanistan's transition to peace and stability is not yet assured and that strong international engagement will be required to address remaining challenges. Ireland pledged €5 million at the launch of the Compact, which will be expended over the next two years. Ireland has contributed a total of €22 million to reconstruction and recovery programmes in Afghanistan since January 2002.