The working group meetings held under the Doha process on June 30 and July 1 highlighted the work undertaken so far in support of efforts to enable the private sector and on counternarcotics in Afghanistan and identified further priorities for engagement and action, the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, said in a statement on Monday.
UNAMA said that the meetings gathered representatives from 26 Member States and international organizations, representatives of the Taliban and the UN, together with 10 subject matter experts.
“Supporting the private sector and counternarcotics efforts is a strategic, economic and humanitarian imperative”, said Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA.
“In addition to calling for more international engagement and support for the Afghan people, this was an important opportunity to discuss Afghanistan’s international obligations with the de facto authorities, and to highlight the essential role of women and girls in Afghan society and the country’s economic recovery,” Otunbayeva said.
The working group meeting on counternarcotics discussed implementing a joint action plan on alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers, development of a joint engagement plan on drug prevention and treatment for people affected by drugs, and critical issues of drug trafficking and production, cross-border management and law enforcement, UNAMA said.
“The working group meeting on the private sector built on extensive consultations with private sector representatives to highlight ongoing initiatives and areas for further cooperation: including improving access to finance, enhancing regulatory frameworks, promoting support to women led entrepreneurs and their greater inclusion across sectors,” UNAMA said.
It added that the discussions focused on practical solutions for Afghanistan’s private sector that create jobs, enhance skills and support Afghanistan’s economic development.
The technical working groups were established as a follow-up to the third Meeting of Special Envoys held in Doha, Qatar last July, in line with recommendations of the Independent Assessment submitted to the Security Council (S/2023/856) and as part of a structured multilateral engagement process with the Taliban “for the benefit of the Afghan people”.
