Today’s inaugural meeting of the recently formed High Commission for Combating Narcotics focused on the importance of international collaboration in the fight against drug trafficking. The head of the panel and deputy prime minister for political affairs, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, urged the international community to keep its promises to aid Afghanistan in its war on drugs.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir observed notable developments, pointing out that drug production and cultivation in Afghanistan have all but disappeared and now pose little threat to other countries. After the recent talks in Doha on alternative crops, he expressed hope that international commitments to support Afghan farmers and the agricultural industry will be kept.
The panel intends to strengthen international cooperation by meeting in Kabul shortly with the head of UNAMA and a number of ambassadors.
Important representatives from the Islamic Emirate took part in the gathering as well. The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, emphasized the detrimental effects of drug-related problems on international relations, pointing to the rigorous inspections Afghan tourists must endure overseas in order to stop drug smuggling.
The necessity of both national and international measures to combat drugs was emphasized by acting ministers of defense and interior, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani and Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, respectively. While Mujahid bemoaned the international community’s silence and demanded more support for Afghan citizens and farmers, Haqqani asked for help in unfreezing Afghanistan’s assets.
According to interim Minister of Public Health Noor Jala Jalali, there are currently over 80 drug addiction treatment facilities in the nation that provide care for about 14,000 addicts. She underlined the necessity of additional treatment facilities and improvements, despite the ongoing difficulty of funding shortages.
The acting Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Abdul Manan Omari, said that 2,500 former addicts have found success in a variety of careers following their recovery.
The Ministry of Interior’s Anti-Narcotics Directorate released several noteworthy figures, including the arrest of 20,000 suspected drug traffickers, the destruction of 1,450 drug factories, the clearing of 37,000 hectares of land used for drug production, and the identification of 122,000 addicts. Previously, 590,000 individuals were employed in drug cultivation each year, which brought in almost $3 billion.
The meeting today underscores the necessity for ongoing international cooperation and is a critical step in bolstering local and international efforts to combat drug trafficking.
