An operational implementation plan in the field of regulation of food, medicines, and health products between Afghanistan and Iran was signed:

During his official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Deputy Minister of Food and Drugs of the Ministry of Public Health, H.E. Mawlawi Hamdullah Zahid, along with his accompanying delegation, signed an operational implementation plan aimed at improving the regulation of foodstuffs, medicines, and health products, as well as streamlining the production and import processes of pharmaceutical products. This plan was developed in light of a previously signed agreement, which had been concluded in the month of Sawr of the year 1402 (Solar Hijri) between the former National Food and Drug Authority of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Deputy Ministry of Food and Drugs and the National Food and Drug Organization of the Ministry of Public Health of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and which had entered into force after completing legal procedures.

The operational implementation plan focuses on relevant areas including: accelerating the standardized processes for registration and evaluation of Iranian companies and related products; further regulating and expediting the import procedures of food, medicines, and health products and related activities; joint efforts to prevent the smuggling of medicines and health products; investment by Iranian companies in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical sector, either jointly with Afghan pharmaceutical factories or independently; capacity building in various fields; digitalization of regulatory processes; and technical cooperation between quality control laboratories for food, medicines, and health products.

The plan was officially signed today in Tehran during a formal ceremony by H.E. Mawlawi Hamdullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Food and Drugs of the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan, and H.E. Dr. Mehdi Pir-Salehi, Deputy Minister of Public Health and Head of the National Food and Drug Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

With the signing of this operational implementation plan, the related activities will be carried out in accordance with an established timeline. As a result, many of the existing challenges in the aforementioned areas will largely be resolved, the provision of high-quality, safe, and effective medicines to the public will be significantly facilitated, and the importation of smuggled and substandard medicines will be prevented to a considerable extent.