Croatian Business Council establishes in Afghanistan

Date: 13 July, 2010

The Croatian Business Council has been established in Afghanistan to create, strengthen and expand business and economic relations. This is the first time Croatia has wanted to ensure business relations with its Afghan peers and has officially demanded active presence in the process of economic growth and progress in collaboration with the private sector in Afghanistan.

For that reason, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries formally awarded the council's license to the board of directors and members of the Croatian Business Council in a magnificent ceremony. By awarding this license, the Croatian Business Council will officially have the legal right to conduct business and economic activities in Afghanistan in coordination with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, after inauguration of the council, the first matchmaking conference between the Afghan business community and around 22 traders and investors from Croatia was held the same evening. In this matchmaking conference, the chairman of the Croatian business delegation officially announced his programs, plans and expectations in terms of creation and strengthening close business and economic relations between the two countries.

In this ceremony, esteemed Khan Jan Alokozai, vice-chairman of the board of directors of the chamber, congratulated establishment of the council representing the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries to the Croatian business delegation and demanded extensive business and economic relations between Afghanistan and Croatia. He said that Afghanistan, at this stage of its life, needed technical and financial assistance of the world countries and asked the Croatian businessmen to invest in Afghanistan taking advantage of the economic opportunities. He added "What is reflected by the media to the world people is involvement of Afghanistan in war and insecurity, but I assure all foreign investors that the best security and economic opportunities exist currently in Afghanistan".

Esteemed Nadan Vidosevic, President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, who led the business delegation traveling to Afghanistan, said that they realized the current situation in Afghanistan very well since Croatia was also engaged in civil war during the 1990s and the country received some assistance from the world countries during and after the war. "Currently, Croatia has soldiers in Afghanistan in the framework of the ISAF forces to ensure security and reconstruction and we now want to take part in reconstruction of Afghanistan by ensuring economic relations" he added.

In terms of ensuring and expansion of business and economic relations with the regional and world countries, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries has signed more than 20 memorandums of understanding and has also established joint business councils with more than 10 regional and world countries so far.

It is worth of mentioning that due to the results achieved from establishment and expansion of such relations, the developed countries will comprehensively focus and pay attention to the level of import/export and exchange of goods and services of Afghanistan while we currently witness tens of joint ventures between Afghan businessmen and investors with their peers from the neighboring countries, Europe and the USA.