Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has praised the Afghan authorities for their efforts to combat drug trafficking, saying they have significantly reduced the production and export of hard drugs.

Speaking to journalists following his visit to India for a BRICS meeting, Shoigu said the Afghan authorities had fulfilled their commitment to tackle the narcotics trade.

“They intended to do it, they intended to do it, and they did it,” Shoigu said.

According to the Russian official, Afghanistan has been able to almost completely suppress the production and export of hard drugs, resulting in a sharp decline in drug trafficking.

“The figure for drug trafficking has already been mentioned, but I can repeat it. As they promised, in fact, if we’re talking about hard drugs, they reduced production and, naturally, export from Afghanistan by almost 90%,” Shoigu said.

His remarks came after meetings held on the sidelines of a BRICS gathering in India, where regional security and cooperation issues were discussed.

The European Union has announced a new 20 million euros funding package for the International Organization for Migration to expand assistance for returnees, internally displaced people, and host communities in high-return areas across Afghanistan.

The funding comes as Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, compounded by the growing number of Afghans returning from neighboring countries.

Mutya Maskun, Deputy Chief of Mission for IOM Afghanistan, said the contribution will enable the organization to expand critical support, strengthen livelihoods, support small businesses, and improve access to essential services through Community Resource Centres.

Meanwhile, Veronika Bošković Pohar reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to helping returnees reintegrate and move toward self-reliance. She noted that since 2022, the European Union has mobilized more than 140 million euros to address displacement-related challenges in Afghanistan.

According to IOM data, more than 2.8 million undocumented Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone. Many returnees face significant challenges, including limited access to housing, livelihoods, and basic services.

The new funding will support protection services, healthcare, psychosocial assistance, livelihood and recovery programs, vocational training, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. It will also strengthen IOM’s network of Community Resource Centres, which provide information, counseling, legal aid, protection services, and health support to returnees and vulnerable communities across Afghanistan.

Sources told Ariana News that talks between the Islamic Emirate delegation and European Union representatives in Brussels concluded on Tuesday.

According to the sources, both sides discussed the resumption of consular services for Afghans across Europe, the need for confidence-building measures, the expansion of consular presence, and ensuring a dignified process for the return of Afghan citizens.

The delegation, led by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, traveled to Brussels with representatives from the Ministry of Interior also included in the delegation.

This marks the first time that a delegation from the Islamic Emirate has been officially invited by the European Union to Brussels and engaged in direct talks with European representatives.

Participants described the discussions as constructive and expressed hope that the process will pave the way for positive developments and help safeguard the consular rights of Afghans living in Europe.