Tag:South Asia

Sustained monitoring will be essential to determine whether 2026 marks a temporary adjustment or the start of a broader recovery of Afghanistan’s opium economy.

The decision, adopted without a vote during the 81st session in New York, gives both countries three additional years beyond the previous November 2026 deadline to strengthen their economies before losing key international support measures.

Nepal’s experience illustrates both what is possible when policies, education and community programmes align, and how easily gains can bypass those who need them most.

The latest monthly figures, achieved against a backdrop of disaster recovery, reinforce confidence in the export model.

The decision to open the door to external payment of fines is a pragmatic acknowledgement that not every person currently incarcerated needs to remain there.

South Asia’s lead crisis is not inevitable. Experience elsewhere demonstrates that decisive regulation, industrial formalisation and community-level interventions can sharply reduce exposure.

The visit underscores enduring people-to-people and institutional bonds while setting measurable economic targets.

For the international community, supporting South Asia’s efforts to build resilience is not only a humanitarian imperative but also a matter of global stability.