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UN-led Doha meetings call for greater support for Afghan economy and counternarcotics efforts
A series of United Nations-facilitated working group meetings on Afghanistan concluded in Doha last week, with renewed calls for enhanced international engagement and practical support for the Afghan people, particularly in the areas of private sector development and counternarcotics.
Organized by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the meetings on June 30 and July 1 brought together representatives from 26 UN Member States and international organizations, delegates from the Islamic Emirate, and a panel of subject-matter experts.
The gatherings focused on two key areas: boosting Afghanistan’s struggling private sector and tackling the complex challenges posed by drug production, trafficking, and treatment.
“Supporting the private sector and counternarcotics efforts is a strategic, economic, and humanitarian imperative,” said Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNAMA.
She added that the meetings also provided a platform to engage IEA on their international obligations and emphasize the essential role of women and girls in the country’s economic recovery and broader society.
The counternarcotics working group explored a joint action plan aimed at creating alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers, alongside strategies for drug prevention and treatment programs. Participants also addressed transnational concerns such as drug trafficking, cross-border coordination, and the need for stronger law enforcement mechanisms.
The private sector working group, developed through prior consultations with Afghan business leaders, emphasized the importance of improving access to finance, enhancing regulatory frameworks, and promoting women-led enterprises.
Discussions centered on job creation, skills development, and practical solutions to strengthen Afghanistan’s economic resilience.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has announced that the long-delayed demarcation and renovation of border markers along the Afghanistan–Iran frontier will officially begin in the near future.
According to a statement from the ministry, Noori made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Ali-Reza Bikdeli.
He assured the Iranian side that the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to accelerating the process and resolving any challenges that may arise during implementation.
In a separate statement, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Bikdeli underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on border issues, describing it as a key factor in strengthening and expanding overall relations between the two countries.
Officials from both sides agreed nearly three months ago to resume the border-marker renovation project, which had remained stalled for the past seven years.
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