KABUL – Meetings of Working Groups on supporting Afghanistan’s private sector and counter-narcotics efforts, convened by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) were held on 12 and 13 February in a virtual format.
The thematic Working Groups, established as a follow-up to the third Meeting of Special Envoys held in Doha, Qatar on June 30-July 1, 2024, in line with recommendations of the Independent Assessment submitted to the Security Council (S/2023/856), are part of a more coherent, coordinated and structured engagement process with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities for the benefit of the Afghan people.

The Working Group format gathers representatives of Member States and international organizations, representatives of Afghanistan’s de facto authorities, subject matter experts including women, United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes and international financial institutions.

An inaugural Counter-Narcotics Working Group meeting took place on November 28, 2024. The second meeting, held on 12 February, discussed a joint action and investment plan for sustainable alternative livelihoods for farmers impacted by the ban on opium poppy cultivation by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities.

The inaugural Private Sector Working Group meeting, held on 13 February, building on ongoing significant efforts by the international community, the de facto authorities and the private sector, discussed the need for a holistic approach to private sector development in Afghanistan, highlighting challenges particularly faced by women-led businesses. Meeting participants also stressed the importance of taking concrete steps towards transparent and accountable financial and commercial governance to build confidence among actors doing business in Afghanistan.