RASC News Agency: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced the successful convening of the first working group meeting under the framework of the Doha Process. According to UNAMA, the inaugural session of the Counter-Narcotics Working Group a key initiative stemming from the third Doha meeting was held today Thursday. In a statement released on the occasion, UNAMA highlighted that this effort represents a crucial step toward fostering more effective engagement with Taliban authorities on issues of vital importance to the Afghan people. The organization reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to serving the population of Afghanistan.
The establishment of this working group, UNAMA noted, arises from recommendations outlined in the 2023 Independent Assessment Report presented to the United Nations Security Council. Describing the meeting as both significant and a positive development, Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, stated. “Combating narcotics is a pressing issue for Afghanistan, with profound implications for rural communities and regional peace and stability.”
She further emphasized that the expanding cultivation of narcotics poses a grave threat to the lives and livelihoods of Afghanistani citizens, underscoring the urgency of implementing effective measures to curb its proliferation. While UNAMA did not disclose the identities of the participants, the organization underscored the importance of this initiative in addressing one of Afghanistan’s most critical challenges.
This development follows the third meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan, held in June in Doha, Qatar, where combating narcotics was identified as a priority agenda item. The United Nations has previously warned of a projected 30% increase in opium production in Afghanistan for 2024 compared to the preceding year, further exacerbating the country’s narcotics crisis.
