Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A two-day meeting of the Doha Process working group on counter-narcotics began in Termez on 5 November, bringing together representatives of the Taliban movement, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), international organisations, participating countries, the private sector and expert communities.
According to Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry, the delegation representing several departments of the Taliban administration was led by Foreign Ministry official Sayed Mohiuddin Sadat.
Participants are expected to discuss standards for Afghan agricultural products, their certification and export readiness.
The agenda also includes developing alternative sources of income for the population, strengthening the private sector, expanding access for Afghan goods to foreign markets and identifying areas for practical cooperation. Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said the participants would exchange views on opportunities to support the country's economic development.
The working group's meeting is scheduled to last two days and conclude on 6 November. UNAMA has not yet issued a public comment on the gathering.
Although the meeting focuses on countering drug trafficking, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry has not disclosed details of discussions on drug cultivation, production or illicit trafficking in the country.
The previous, fourth meeting of the working group was held in Kabul last year with UNAMA's support. At that time, Taliban representatives expressed concern about the spread of synthetic drugs. They claimed that production facilities were located outside Afghanistan and warned of the risks to the region and the international community.
The Doha Process is a UN initiative aimed at facilitating dialogue and coordinating engagement between the Taliban movement and the international community on key issues concerning Afghanistan. It includes specialised working groups, including those focused on counter-narcotics and private sector support.
The current meeting is taking place amid reports from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) of a sharp increase in opium production in Afghanistan. According to figures cited in the organisation's report, production reached nearly 1,500 tonnes in 2026, compared with approximately 300 tonnes a year earlier.
UNODC attributed the increase to the expansion of cultivated areas and higher crop yields resulting from more favourable rainfall.
The Interior Ministry of the Taliban administration rejected the report's findings, describing its assessments of the drug situation as unreliable.
