KABUL, Afghanistan — Three Taliban representatives attended the inaugural meeting of the Counter-Narcotics Working Group, part of the follow-up to the third Doha meeting, Habibullah Ahmadi, head of the office of the Taliban’s counter-narcotics department at the Ministry of Interior, confirmed to Amu.
He said that officials from the Taliban’s ministries of interior, foreign affairs, and agriculture were present at the meeting.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, told Amu that the working group plans to develop programs aimed at supporting the private sector and providing alternative livelihoods for farmers.
However, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s chief spokesperson, told Amu that he was not yet informed about the meeting.
UNAMA said on Thursday the meeting is part of its ongoing efforts to engage more effectively with the Taliban authorities on critical issues affecting the Afghan people.
The creation of the working group follows recommendations made in a 2023 independent assessment presented to the United Nations Security Council, UNAMA added.
“Counter-narcotics is a critical issue for Afghanistan, impacting both rural communities and regional peace and stability,” said Roza Otunbayeva, the U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA.
The meeting builds on discussions held at the third Doha meeting of special envoys in June, where counter-narcotics was identified as a key focus. That meeting faced criticism for the absence of representatives from Afghan women’s groups and civil society.
Afghanistan remains the world’s largest producer of opium, despite a Taliban-led crackdown on narcotics in 2022. According to recent U.N. data, opium production in 2024 increased by 30 percent compared to the previous year but remains 93 percent below pre-2022 levels.
While UNAMA did not disclose the full list of participants at the working group meeting, it reiterated its commitment to addressing Afghanistan’s pressing challenges through structured engagement with the Taliban.
