Afghanistan on Tuesday hosted the fourth meeting of the Counter-Narcotics Working Group under the Doha Process, with participants highlighting significant progress and the need for continued regional and international cooperation.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the meeting was held at the Kabul Grand Hotel and hosted by UNAMA, with participation both in person and online.

The session brought together representatives from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, and Public Health, alongside UN agencies, international and regional organizations, the European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, diplomats and experts.

Takal said Afghan officials reported that opium cultivation has been reduced to near zero following a decree by the Supreme Leader. Representatives outlined achievements, challenges and proposals related to law enforcement, alternative livelihoods for farmers, and treatment programs for drug users.

Officials stressed that while the counter-narcotics measures primarily benefit Afghanistan, their impact extends beyond its borders, making sustained progress dependent on shared responsibility, coordinated investment and mutual trust.

Concerns were also raised over the growing threat of synthetic drugs, with Afghan officials noting that their sources lie outside the country and could pose serious risks to Afghanistan, the region and the wider world.

UNAMA, UN agencies, international organizations and diplomats praised the Islamic Emirate’s efforts, describing the sharp reduction in opium cultivation as a historic achievement.

Participants pledged continued support and called for closer coordination through the Doha Process and bilateral initiatives, with a particular emphasis on alternative livelihoods and expanded treatment for drug users.

Afghanistan recorded 193 explosive ordnance incidents over the past year, resulting in 87 deaths and 333 injuries, according to the National Disaster Preparedness Authority (NDPA).

Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, head of information and public relations at the NDPA, said children made up the majority of victims, accounting for 67.5 percent of total casualties.

He noted that mine clearance teams cleared 58 kilometres of contaminated land and neutralised 24,720 mines during the same period.

Hamad added that 155 mine clearance teams are currently operating nationwide, while more than two million people have been reached through explosive hazard awareness programmes.

Despite these efforts, an estimated 106,000 kilometres of land across Afghanistan remain contaminated.

The update follows a warning from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which said Afghanistan ranks third globally for casualties caused by explosive ordnance.

UNAMA reported that children account for around 80 percent of victims, many injured or killed while playing near unexploded devices.

UNAMA has called for increased funding for non-governmental organisations involved in mine clearance, stressing that sustained support is critical to protecting vulnerable communities and saving lives.

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Uzbekistan and Pakistan have agreed to begin fieldwork on the long-planned Trans-Afghan railway project, a key regional connectivity initiative aimed at linking Central and South Asia, according to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade.

The agreement was reached during the 10th session of the Pakistan–Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, co-chaired by Pakistan’s Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov.

The two sides also agreed to adopt a new format for regular commission meetings to improve coordination and accelerate joint projects.

The railway is seen as a strategic project for landlocked Central Asian states seeking access to global markets, while also offering Pakistan expanded trade routes into Central Asia.

Afghanistan’s role as a transit country places it at the centre of the initiative, with the project expected to generate transit revenue, jobs and infrastructure development.

Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan signed a framework agreement on July 17, 2025, to prepare a feasibility study for the railway. The planned 647-kilometre line will follow the Termez–Naibabad–Maidanshahr–Logar–Kharlachi route, linking Uzbekistan to Pakistan’s rail network and providing access to Karachi and other seaports.

The project’s preliminary cost is estimated at $4.6 billion, and its implementation will depend on financing, security conditions and sustained regional cooperation.

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