IEA reaffirms commitment to anti-drug efforts, urges global support

KABUL (Ariana News): Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow the drug trade to threaten Afghan society or regional stability, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi declared Tuesday during a meeting with Bo Mathiasen, Director for Operations at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides held detailed discussions on the IEA’s efforts to prevent the cultivation, production, and trafficking of narcotics, as well as on the treatment and rehabilitation of drug users.

Muttaqi described the IEA’s anti-drug campaign as “historic” and emphasized that all national institutions and security forces remain fully committed to confronting the narcotics trade.

“The Islamic Emirate stands firmly against the drug phenomenon and will not allow society and the region to be harmed by it again,” he said.

He also called on the international community to support Afghanistan in providing alternative livelihoods for farmers through investment in agriculture, livestock, and small-scale industries, as a long-term solution to drug dependency.

Muttaqi further warned that narcotics entering Afghanistan from outside its borders now pose a growing threat and urged coordinated global efforts to combat the cross-border drug trade.

UNODC’s Bo Mathiasen praised the IEA’s steps to curb narcotics production and trafficking, describing his visit to Afghanistan as “important” and expressing appreciation for the IEA’s decisive actions.

Both sides agreed that the fight against drugs should remain non-political and rooted in humanitarian cooperation. They emphasized that future anti-narcotics initiatives must focus on delivering practical, coordinated outcomes.