Topic: Escalating Violence in the International Drug Trade
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Michael Jennings
School: Flint Southwestern Classical Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The International drug trade has been a burden on countries ever since the 19th century. With advent of globalization it would be difficult not to find some sort of foreign illicit substance within a nations borders. The nation of Afghanistan is becoming a problem for several states around the world because of the large amount of Opium and Poppy plants that are produced within its borders. These plants are extremely profitable and have lead to widespread and recognizable corruption within the Afghan border. Also the neo-Taliban uses the funding from their corner of the drug trade to plan attacks against coalition soldiers and to take back several provinces within Afghanistan. The nation of Mexico is also struggling with a total war on drugs that threatens the safety and stability of the Mexican people and the states that border the country. Though not as prevalent an issue as it was 20 or 30 years ago, the drug trade in South America has been significantly hindered by the efforts of governments in the region, most notably Venezuela’s.
The Russian Federation has 2.5 million drug addicts. Most of these drug addicts range from 18 years f age to 30. Russia has a negative population growth as well. The future does look bright for Russia, if its future leaders are getting high instead of changing the world. Due to the immense length of Russia’s borders, Russia struggles to keep drugs out. Russia borders all three of the nations that are considered a part of the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan). 93% of all Opium that is traded comes from the Golden crescent. On top of that, 90% of all illicit drug users within Russia’s borders use Afghan-grown opiates. The Russian Federation has taken steps in recent years to inhibit the growth of Opium production with Afghanistan’s borders by sending troops to fight along side US-led coalition forces in the area. Efforts by NATO and Russian forces hindered 2% of the drug trade in 2009, a majority of which that funded the Taliban insurgency effort. However, during the week of October 31st, 2010, Russia announced it would no longer contribute soldiers to directly combat the drug trade in Afghanistan. The nation of Afghanistan has seen widespread corruption during the reign of “president “ Hamid Karzai. For example, Karzai’s own brother, Mahmoud is under investigation by the United States for connections to the drug trade. The nations of Mexico and Venezuela have enjoyed warm ties with the Russian federation for many years. We are looking to continue to support their governments in the long battle against drugs.
The Russian Federation acknowledges that several of the farmers who grow opium grow it so that they can survive. The government very loosely controls the region where opium is grown; it is more the control of regional warlords. The Solution the Russian Federation proposes is to make the growing of alternatives, like lettuce, or wheat, or barely, more profitable than opium or poppy. This could come in the form of economic incentives for growing non-illicit drugs. Also perhaps an international effort to the seal the borders of Afghanistan might be beneficial. Support from the states of Iran and Pakistan would be necessary however. Finding a way to combat the corruption that blights the government would be beneficial as well, it is a well-known fact that the elections were not very well monitored and voter turnout was low during the last Afghan election. An effort to monitor elections more closely would put people into power who the Afghan people have decided upon. In Mexico, the government is fighting a multi-front war against a variety of cartels throughout the nation. One of the few the things the international community can do is provide training and funding for Mexico’s war on drugs, like Surveillance, updated drug detecting technology, or monetary aid that would increase the wage of the police officers who are on the frontlines of the conflict. The drug cartels of Mexico do not grow drugs, they specifically in the business of transporting the drugs throughout the world. The effective means to combat that would be the monitor of not only what is coming out of Mexico, but also what is coming into Mexico. Though, Venezuelan and Colombian efforts to curb the drug trade are heroic, another influx of aid to those states would curb the source of monetary support for the cartels.
The Russian Federation is looking to cooperate with the South and Central American states concerning Mexico’s war on drugs. The People’s Republic of China’s strong stance on drugs will make them a valuable ally on this topic. The United States has a lot invested in both the Golden crescent issue and the Mexican drug war, so we will find a strong ally with them. A border dispute between Japan and the Russian Federation has torn a temporary rift in the foreign relations between the two nations. They are not considered an ally.
