Politics and Governance

Viktor Ivanov, director of the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) of the Russian Federation, discussed the global drug trade and the key role of poppy production in Afghanistan with a diverse audience representing numerous U.S. federal agencies, uniformed and civilian military officials, civil society, industry and diplomatic missions.

Ivanov argued that the global drug trade is closely tied to the world financial system, where drug money represents a “at least half” of global criminal flows. These funds, he said, in some cases provide much-needed liquidity in the financial system at a time of crisis.

“In order to develop adequate solutions, we need to have a better picture of global drug flows,” Ivanov said. He added, “Two obvious drug flows are Latin American cocaine and Afghan heroin.”

Ivanov was in the United States for meetings in Chicago of the U.S.–Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission's Drug Trafficking Working Group, of which he is co-chair. FSKN and EWI, as part of an ongoing collaboration, worked with the Chicago Tribune to produce an infographic and interview with Ivanov exploring the complex dynamics of "Afghanistan’s heroin pipeline" (PDF).

Speaking with the Tribune, Ivanov underlined the role of international civil society in confronting the issue of drug production in Afghanistan during a time of conflict.

“[O]ur group and I personally are engaged in extensive cooperation with leading U.S. think tanks, especially the EastWest Institute, and also such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Nixon Center (now the Center for the National Interest), the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation,” and others, Ivanov told the Tribune.

Ivanov noted that drug production is a consistent source of income for some, and said fundamental changes in the economy of Afghanistan are necessary to undermine the rationale for cultivation.

“The key way to liquidate global drug trafficking is to reformat the existing economy and to shift to the economy that excludes criminal money and provides reproduction of net liquid assets, [that is], to the economy of development, where decisions are based on development projects and special-purpose credits,” Ivanov said.

The bill criminalizes exploitative and discriminatory practices such as forced marriages and denial of women’s rightful inheritance. People who engage in these practices, which are customary in some parts of Pakistan, are now subject to hefty fines or up to 10 years in prison.

Though Pakistan’s parliament has a greater proportion of women than the U.K. Parliament or the U.S. Congress, Pakistani women parliamentarians must constantly work against gender bias and prove themselves as serious contributors in the legislature.

The Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention congratulates Dr. Aziz, a member of its Executive Council and a leading member of its working group on Women, Peace and Security. It also congratulates the many female lawmakers who work to improve women’s and human rights in Pakistan. We are proud to continue to work together to support women in their active role in public life.

Click here for more information on the bill.

The Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention is an international, non-partisan, standing structure with a membership of almost 180 parliamentarians from 58 countries across the globe. The Network connects members of parliament to mobilise efforts towards the prevention of conflicts turning violent through diplomatic initiatives and effective collective action. The latest report from the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention’s working group on Women, Peace and Security is available here.

More than anyone else, Dr. Sibal is responsible for bringing EWI’s Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit to New Delhi for its third annual conference in 2012. His commitment to EWI’s mission, his active collaboration with the Institute’s work, and his deep knowledge of world affairs have been an invaluable asset.

“We thank you for your dedicated commitment to EWI, your willingness to share your vast knowledge of foreign affairs, and your patient coaching of so many of us,” said EWI President John Edwin Mroz in presenting the award.

Dr. Sibal is a former Foreign Secretary of India (2002–2003) and worked more than 35 years with the Indian Foreign Service. He has served as India’s ambassador to Turkey, Egypt and France, and as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in the United States.

Before Clinton’s visit, Sehgal writes, the United States had two widely differing objectives: (1) to deliver a final wake-up call for Pakistan’s military and its intelligence services and (2) to try to stop the rapid deterioration in the U.S.–Pakistan relationship over accusations that the Pakistani intelligence service ISI is working with the Haqqani network. 

Click here to read Sehgal's piece in The News.

Donya Aziz, Pakistani lawmaker and member of the Executive Council of EWI's Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention, is leading a parliamentary battle to end "anti-women practices" in Pakistan.

The present Afghan leadership is not capable of sustaining the present western model of democracy and governance; this has been imposed by the west in the mistaken belief that this is suited to a society which remains basically tribal and feudal despite technological advances. Former US Green Beret Captain Amerine who, alongwith his team of 10 Green Berets, was ordered in 2001 to protect Hamid Karzai when the original choice for topmost leader Maulvi Abdul Haq was captured and executed by the Taliban, recently disclosed to journalist Christina Lamb that his HQs had ordered him not to enter Afghanistan unless Karzai could guarantee 300 men on the ground. When they ultimately went in, Karzai, the future president of Afghanistan, could only gather 30 people together!

Europe is awash with constitutional monarchies; one must seriously consider the option of restoring the monarchy in Afghanistan while having a powerful PM, as it used to be before Sardar Daud deposed his cousin Zahir Shah, to ensure unity among the diverse ethnic groups.

The Afghan war has cost Pakistan heavily in human terms. While enhancing our defence and security budget we had to increase allocations for diplomatic efforts, and pay exorbitant economic and social cost estimated to be about US$65 billion. How can one begin to assess the cost to the image of Pakistan as a responsible entity in the comity of nations?

The US has incurred huge cost, some estimate Iraq and Afghanistan at US$4 trillion. Can they continue to do in the current economic climate and a rapidly diminishing appetite, with the EU members not willing to share the cost? What rankles is that there is little or no mention made to the direct cost incurred by Pakistan, as well as the virtual destruction of its socio-political and economic infra-structure. Long after the US and EU have abandoned the present leaders of Afghanistan to their fate, Pakistan will continue to pay a very heavy human cost, quite difficult to quantify the additional cost in socio-political and economic terms.

The 8th Worldwide Security Conference in Brussels organised by the EastWest Institute (EWI), one of the world’s leading think tanks, in cooperation with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the Financial Times centred around: (1) sharpening appreciation of the existing security dynamics in Southwest Asia (SWA), (2) analysing new means of promoting collective security in the region, (3) and develop consensus for enhancing security.

In the climate of uncertainty and high risk, the western world must prepare themselves to manage more complex emergencies. Notwithstanding the broad consensus about a durable security policy, the western nations are not geared to address some of the challenges that exist and/or are anticipated in the future described is the present situation in a relevant paper as “a sense of disarray and retreat rather than a commitment to continual reassessment and policy innovation”.

The negative factors influencing the situation include (1) weak commitment among the states in the region to cooperate, to prevent, reduce and/or contain imminent violent conflict, (2) economic growth not consistent with required standard of living, (3) governance remaining weak with power shifting to local actors, ie warlords in the sub-regions, (4) with outside commitment weakening, political leaders facing domestic pressures are reluctant to stake their political future on cooperation. Several risk factors are (1) conflicting requirements of modernisation and tradition (especially religious fundamentalism), (2) likelihood of regional and internal conflicts with a potential for nuclear confrontation and (3) increasing dependence of Europe, Japan and China for energy on this region.

With the exit of the coalition forces, (1) power will shift from governments to both previously weak local actors and anti-state actors, (2) strong demand for democracy, respect of individual rights, adequately compensated employment, education and upward social mobility will impact the legitimacy of governments in the region and (3) military expenditures will increase. The policy recommendations include viz (1) increased coordination between the states of this region, (2) increased regional economic integration, (3) mobilisation of private sector investment in trans-border economic projects and (4) promotion of justice and rule of law for improving governance.

Facts about Pakistan’s sacrifices are generally glossed over, viz (1) the direct and indirect cost to Pakistan as well as collateral damage in both terms of blood and money as well as the lasting damage to its socio-political factors need to be quantified, (2) what about the cost of hosting three million plus Afghans in Pakistan for over two decades? and (3) the cost of Pakistan allowing transit trade without fees and (4) the effect of smuggling on Pakistan’s economy and (5) unrelenting hostile propaganda by the coalition-supported government in Afghanistan affecting public opinion in Pakistan.

What is unfortunate is that no mechanism exists for a dialogue to offset and deal with misperceptions and misrepresentations of facts. Accusations and allegations against Pakistan are based on unsubstantiated facts, using two recent examples, viz (1) Adm Mike Mullen’s unfortunate statement, just before retiring, that Pakistan’s ISI was complicit in the recent attacks on the US Embassy in Kabul alongwith the Haqqani network and (2) consequently Karzai accusing Pakistan of assassinating Burhanuddin Rabbani and using that as a convenient excuse to call off the Tripartite Conference.

The White House has distanced itself from Mullen’s assertion while at the same time encouraging Pakistan to “do more” about the Haqqani network. Given the slogans at Rabbani’s funeral accusing him for Rabbani’s death Hamid Karzai’s accusations were right on cue and understandable. Why indeed did Karzai call him back to attend that particular meeting where he was killed? How better to deflect the allegations in the wake of Mullen’s statement to the world’s favourite bugbear of recent times, the ISI?

While we certainly need to address our counter-terrorism efforts within the Pakistani heartland far better, Pakistan has fought insurgents in its border areas to a standstill at great human cost, taking ten times more casualties than all the coalition countries put together. No one wants to mention the three million plus Afghan refugees spread throughout our soil. Most of Al-Qaeda leaders have been killed by our security forces and 80 percent of Al-Qaeda suspects in Guantanamo Bay were captured by Pakistan.

The evolving consensus is to readjust the role of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) to help the nations find indigenous solutions and encourage countries having credibility in the region, like Turkey, to take a greater role, particularly in enhancing means of livelihood by innovative out-of-the-box thinking.

(Extract from speech given on Oct 3, 2011 at the 8th Worldwide Security Conference organised by the EWI in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Brussels and Financial Times on “Shaping collective security in Southwest Asia, are breakthrough measures possible?”)

"Economic security is really considered by everyone as very much part of security itself," said Christian Masset, Director General of Global Affairs, Development and Partnerships for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government of France, in its capacity of chair of the G8 and G20, co-convened the conference.