The security situation in Afghanistan has reached crisis proportions. The Taliban's ability to establish a presence throughout the country is now proven beyond doubt; exclusive research undertaken by ICOS Afghanistan indicates that 54 per cent of Afghanistan’s landmass hosts a permanent Taliban presence, primarily in southern Afghanistan, and is subject to frequent hostile activity by the insurgency.

The Taliban are the de facto governing authority in significant portions of territory in the south and east, and are starting to control parts of the local economy and key infrastructure such as roads and energy supply. The insurgency also exercises a significant amount of psychological control, gaining more and more political legitimacy in the minds of the Afghan people who have a long history of shifting alliances and regime change.

Full report in English (2,42 Mb, PDF)

As a part of ongoing research on the Poppy for Medicine initiative for Afghanistan, the British pharmaceutical consulting firm Heathside Information Services Limited has undertaken research on the economics of processing raw poppy materials into morphine medicines in a small factory in Afghanistan. Based on the project model outlined in ICOS’s June 2007 publication Poppy for Medicine, the resulting report is available here

As well as elaborating on the costs of producing morphine medicines in Afghanistan, this Case Study provides details on the quantities of raw materials to be used and the quantities of medicines to be produced in Poppy for Medicine projects, and the potential economic impact of Poppy for Medicine projects on Afghan farming communities.

In addition, this Case Study examines the possibility of extending the Poppy for Medicine project model, and adapting the medicine factory accordingly, to add value to other locally-produced agricultural commodities. In particular, this Case Study explores the possible local manufacture of the malaria medicine Artemisinin in the local medicine factories. The extended Appendice to this Case Study provide extensive details of the economics of producing morphine in small local factories and is available here

Full report in English (1,31 Mb, PDF)