KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN-facilitated working group meetings on Afghanistan’s private sector and counter-narcotics have called for increased support for the private sector and anti-drug efforts, UNAMA said Monday.
The two-day event, organized by the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on June 30 and July 1 in Doha, Qatar, brought together representatives from 26 countries, the United Nations, international organizations, and the Taliban.
In a statement, UNAMA said the meetings reviewed progress made so far in supporting Afghanistan’s private sector and efforts to combat narcotics, and identified new priorities for engagement and practical action.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, said:
“Supporting the private sector and counternarcotics efforts is a strategic, economic, and humanitarian imperative.”
She added that in discussions with Taliban representatives, Afghanistan’s international obligations and the important role of women and girls in society and economic recovery were also highlighted.
According to the statement, during the counter-narcotics meeting, participants discussed a joint plan to provide alternative livelihoods for farmers, control drug use, treat addiction, and address drug trafficking, border management, and law enforcement.
The private sector group focused on improving access to finance, strengthening regulations, supporting women entrepreneurs, and increasing their participation across sectors, UNAMA added.
The working groups were established following last year’s meeting of special envoys held in Doha, based on recommendations from an independent assessment conducted by the UN Special Coordinator on Afghanistan, Feridun Sinirlioğlu, and endorsed by the UN Security Council in 2023.
This marked the third meeting of the Counter-Narcotics Working Group and the second of the Private Sector Support Working Group on Afghanistan.
A Taliban delegation from several ministries participated in the working group talks. Their involvement has sparked criticism from Afghan politicians, activists, and women’s groups, who argue it could lead to the normalization of the Taliban regime.
