Taliban Officials Meet with UNODC Head to Discuss Drug Control Cooperation
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Munir, Deputy Minister for Drug Control at the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, met with Polik Ok Siri, head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to discuss joint cooperation in combating drugs. Both parties emphasized the continuation of coordination and expansion of collaboration, especially in equipping border crossings.
According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, the UNODC head praised the “achievements” of the Deputy Ministry for Drug Control and assured cooperation in providing advanced scanners. Equipping border checkpoints with these scanners was identified as a key issue in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Taliban officials evaluated the results of Afghanistan’s delegation to the CRIC meeting positively and stated that efforts are ongoing for Afghanistan to participate as an observer member within this framework. The CRIC is one of the meetings related to international drug control conventions that focuses on coordinating countries.
During the meeting, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Munir called on the international community to recognize Afghanistan’s achievements in drug control and, based on that, increase aid levels. He also stressed that equipping borders with advanced scanners is a serious necessity for better border control.
He noted that personnel working on drug control in various provinces have undertaken measures to eradicate cultivation and trafficking of narcotics, raise public awareness, and enforce the law. However, international monitoring bodies have consistently emphasized that sustainable drug control requires transparency, accountability, and broad cooperation with the global community.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides stressed the continuation of dialogue and strengthening of joint cooperation to reduce drug production and trafficking.
