The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has convened a new round of Doha Process Working Group meetings focusing on counter-narcotics and private sector development.

The meetings, held in Kabul on February 3 and 9, brought together representatives of UN member states and international organizations, officials of the Islamic Emirate, and subject-matter experts.

According to UNAMA, discussions in the counter-narcotics working group centered on efforts by Islamic Emirate authorities and the international community to support alternative livelihoods for Afghans previously dependent on poppy cultivation and the illicit opium trade. Participants also reviewed drug-use prevention and treatment initiatives, as well as law-enforcement measures to curb narcotics production and trafficking.

The private sector working group focused on job creation and entrepreneurship, with particular attention to women’s participation in the private sector, market integration, access to finance, and the development of private banking and financial infrastructure.

UNAMA said both working groups identified priority areas for enhanced engagement and explored more effective and sustainable approaches to supporting Afghan men and women. Participants also examined the linkages between the two areas, noting that private sector development is a key source of livelihoods, while counter-narcotics efforts contribute to Afghanistan’s economic and social stability.

The working groups were established following the third Meeting of Special Envoys held in Doha, Qatar, in June and July 2024, in line with recommendations of the Independent Assessment endorsed by the UN Security Council. The process aims to promote more coherent, coordinated, and structured engagement with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities for the benefit of the Afghan people.

UNAMA added that stakeholders engage in the working groups on an ongoing basis, with full-format meetings convened periodically. Since their establishment, the groups have improved information-sharing, helped mobilize additional resources, and facilitated expert exchanges to strengthen support for the Afghan people.

At a regular meeting of the Economic Commission chaired by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, the National Policy for the Development of the Agriculture and Livestock Sector was approved.

According to a statement from the deputy PM’s office, the key objectives of the policy include the mechanization of the agriculture and livestock sector; development of agricultural, irrigation, and livestock research and extension systems; management of irrigation systems; support for investment in these sectors; and ensuring public access to high-quality agricultural and animal products.

During the same meeting, the development plan for the fish farming sector was also approved.

Under this plan, through private sector investment, 7,700 small, medium, and large fish production and farming facilities will be established on 6,500 hectares of land in various parts of the country.

The statement added that the implementation of this plan will create direct employment opportunities for 50,000 people and indirect employment for 250,000 others.

Officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry for Virtue and Vice successfully intervened to stop three cases of forced marriage in the provinces of Balkh, Kunar, and Parwan, protecting women’s rights under Islamic law.

The cases involved families attempting to marry off their daughters against their will. After registering and reviewing the complaints, ministry officials acted swiftly to halt the marriages.

The families were summoned and advised on the importance of respecting women’s rights and the freedom to choose a spouse. Following the intervention, they pledged that all future marriages of their daughters would occur only with the women’s full consent.

The ministry said the actions reflect its ongoing commitment to safeguarding women’s rights and enforcing Islamic principles across Afghanistan.