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Mr. Sayed Karim Hashimi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), met with Mr. Firas Haddad-Zeros, Country Director of the World Bank for Afghanistan, and his accompanying team at the ACCI office in Kabul.

Mr. Zeros congratulated Mr. Hashimi on his appointment as Chairman of ACCI and spoke about the World Bank’s activities, including strengthening the private sector, providing consultations, offering short- and long-term loans, and creating jobs for underprivileged people in the country. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between ACCI and the World Bank.

Mr. Hashimi welcomed Mr. Zeros and his delegation to ACCI, stating that fortunately, the Chamber has maintained strong relations with the World Bank for many years in various areas of private sector support. He called on the World Bank Country Director to provide greater support to members of the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kabul and the provinces.

Mr. Hashimi considered industrial growth as vital for job creation and the country’s self-sufficiency, and requested Mr. Zeros to provide financial assistance to traders wishing to relocate their factories from abroad to Afghanistan, as well as to women seeking to establish small carpet weaving production units in their homes. He assured the World Bank representative of ACCI’s full cooperation in this regard.

Thursday, 16 Asad 1404

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), with the aim of attracting investments, exchanging business ideas, expanding trade, and boosting the country’s exports, held a Business-to-Business (B2B) meeting between the private sectors of Afghanistan and Tatarstan at the Kabul Grand Hotel.

During this meeting, agreements worth more than 185 million USD were signed between Afghan and Tatarstan traders in sectors such as construction, petroleum products, energy production, food items, clothing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, detergents, furniture, electrical appliances, and agricultural machinery.

Mr. Sayed Karim Hashimi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, while welcoming the honorable Tatarstan trade delegation and the participants of the meeting, described such gatherings as important for joint investments and the development of trade relations between the two sides. He expressed his appreciation to both the Tatarstan and Afghan sectoral delegations for their participation. He said that the main objective of today’s meeting was to work toward trade agreements between the private sectors of the two sides, urging all participating traders to make the most of the opportunity and sign further agreements in various sectors.

Mr. Hashimi considered the overall security in the country as a favorable foundation for investment in different sectors of Afghanistan. He called on all Afghan private sector members residing abroad to return home and invest—just as other traders, such as the Azizi Group, have done by investing 10 billion USD in the energy production sector—thus creating jobs for their fellow citizens. He assured ACCI’s full cooperation in improving Afghanistan’s trade relations with regional and global countries, especially Tatarstan, and called on the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan to increase their petroleum exports in accordance with Afghanistan’s norms and standards.

Mr. Krook Chinko Alvik Vladimirovich, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan, presented information on his country’s economic achievements and products, emphasizing the development of trade and investment between the two sides. He expressed hope that many memorandums of understanding would be signed between the private sectors of the two sides during the meeting.

Mr. Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, described the meeting as a valuable opportunity for investment and trade development between the two sides and called on traders and investors to take advantage of the opportunity to sign strong trade agreements.

Mr. Azizi referred to Afghanistan’s private sector as the most active in the region and considered its role vital in the country’s economic growth. He also announced that the banking problem of Afghan traders in Tatarstan, Russia, would be resolved in the near future.

Mr. Mohammad Younus Mohmand, First Vice Chairman of ACCI, emphasized the importance of trade and investment between Afghanistan and Tatarstan, and said that, as a first step, establishing a branch of an Afghan bank in the Republic of Tatarstan would be important in boosting bilateral trade. He also noted the role of air cargo services in increasing Afghanistan’s exports to regional countries, especially India, and called for Tatarstan’s cooperation in this regard.

Mr. Mohmand highlighted Tatarstan’s expertise in poultry farms and called for joint investments with Afghan traders in this field. He also urged for more facilitation in issuing visas for Afghan traders, particularly in coordination with the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

In addition to the above-mentioned speakers, the meeting was attended by ACCI board members, the Tatarstan trade delegation, and a large number of traders and members of the private sector from both sides.

Thursday, 16 Asad 1404

Mr. Sayed Karim Hashimi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), met with Mr. Turdakun Sydykov, Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan, at the ACCI Board of Directors’ headquarters in Shahr-e-Naw, Kabul, discussed and exchange views on expanding trade relations between the two countries.

Mr. Sydykov congratulated Mr. Hashimi on his appointment as the Chairman of ACCI, expressing hope that under his leadership, trade relations between the two countries would further expand. He emphasized the importance of creating a trade mechanism between ACCI and the Kyrgyzstan Chamber of Commerce to address the challenges faced by the private sectors of both countries, and expressed his full cooperation with the Chairman of ACCI.

Mr. Hashimi welcomed the visit of the Kyrgyz ambassador to ACCI, describing this meeting as a positive step toward opening a new chapter in the economic and trade relations between the two countries. He also assured of his efforts to increase trade exchanges between Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Mr. Hashimi stated that the nationwide security in Afghanistan provides a favorable foundation for investment, and added that if Kyrgyz traders are willing to jointly invest with Afghan traders in sectors such as mining, agricultural mechanization, and energy production, ACCI is ready to provide any form of cooperation in this regard.

Mr. Arefi, ACCI’s CEO Deputy for Policy, emphasized the importance of business meetings and organizing joint exhibitions between the private sectors of both countries, and called on the Kyrgyz ambassador to cooperate with ACCI in holding such events.

Wednesday, 15 Asad 1404

The leadership of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), including Mr. Mohammad Younus Mohmand, First Vice Chairman of ACCI; Mr. Khairuddin Mayel Ahmadi, deputy commercial of ACCI; Mr. Shirin Agha Sakhi, Head of Finance; Mr. Sayed Javid Burhan, Head of International Relations; Mr. Khanjan Alokozay, Mr. Sultan Mohammad Safi, Mr. Sayed Parwiz Sadat Hufyani, and Mr. Ahmad Shikeb Ahmadyar, board members, along with Mr. Ahmad Shah Hakimi, First Vice Chairman of the Kabul Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Mirza Aman Popal, Acting Deputy of Finance and Administration; Mr. Tawakal Khorram, Head of ACCI’s Dispute Resolution Center; and Mr. Abdul Mateen Ghalib, Head of ACCI’s International Department, met with Mr. Zhao Zheng, the Ambassador of China to Afghanistan, and his team at ACCI headquarters discussed the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

Mr. Mohammad Younus Mohmand warmly welcomed Mr. Zhao Zheng and his team, expressing gratitude for China’s financial and comprehensive support to the people of Afghanistan over the years and for their contributions to large infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. He provided insights into ACCI’s activities, especially the leadership’s participation in trade conferences and meetings in China.

The First Vice Chairman of ACCI described China as one of the world’s most modern and technologically advanced countries, emphasizing the importance of strengthening economic and trade relations. He requested China’s cooperation in organizing a joint exhibition and establishing a trade market where all domestic products from both countries could be showcased and sold.

Mr. Mohmand highlighted the Wakhan Corridor as a direct transit link between China and Afghanistan, noting its potential to expedite trade and foster economic and political relations between the two countries. He urged Mr. Zhao Zheng to coordinate with the Chinese government to prioritize the reconstruction of this route.

Mr. Khairuddin Mayel Ahmadi regarded such meetings as a crucial step in enhancing trade and solidifying relations between the two countries. He pointed out that many Afghan production factories rely on raw materials imported from China and requested Mr. Zhao Zheng to facilitate easier access for importing Chinese machinery.

Mr. Khanjan Alokozay discussed trade issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan and requested that the Chinese Embassy assist in resolving the existing trade challenges with Pakistan.

Mr. Mirza Aman Popal shared information about the export of Afghan pine nuts to China, emphasizing the need for subsidies from the Chinese government to support Afghan traders. He noted that China’s restrictions on the import of certain Afghan agricultural products are a significant challenge for Afghan traders and requested Mr. Zhao Zheng’s support in signing an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate the export of agricultural goods.

Mr. Zhao Zheng thanked the ACCI leadership for organizing the meeting and mentioned recent developments in lifting bans on Afghan exports to China. He announced that Afghanistan can now export its pomegranates to China and expressed his commitment to working on removing restrictions on other agricultural products as well. He also promised cooperation in coordinating with the Chinese government to restore the Wakhan Corridor and to address Afghan traders’ issues at Karachi port.

Tuesday, 17th of Mezan, 1403

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), with the aim of expanding trade relations, exchanging ideas, and attracting investments to the country, held a meeting titled “Business Meeting of the Private Sectors of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan” at the Kabul Grand Hotel.

During the meeting, memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth over 20 million USD were signed between traders and investors of the two countries in sectors such as healthcare, furniture, vegetables, oil and gas, logistics, cosmetics, construction, solar energy, and machinery.

Mr. Sayed Karim Hashimi, Chairman of ACCI, welcomed the guests and participants, describing Uzbekistan as a good friend with cultural commonalities and strong trade-economic ties with Afghanistan. He considered the visit of the Uzbekistan trade delegation to Afghanistan as important for the development of trade relations and the increase of joint investments between the two countries. He added that nationwide peace and security in Afghanistan have encouraged traders from neighboring and global countries to invest in various sectors of the country.

Mr. Hashimi stated that trade growth, increased investment in various sectors, facilitation for domestic and foreign investors by relevant government bodies, simplification of administrative procedures, the presence of both potential and actual investment capacities, vast natural and mineral resources, and the growing trade relations between Afghanistan and regional countries, especially Uzbekistan, reflect a new chapter in Afghanistan’s economic relations with the world. He also emphasized that facilitating the visa issuance process for Afghan traders is crucial in expanding bilateral trade relations, and requested the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to pay serious attention to this matter.

The Chairman of ACCI considered the signing of a trade MoU between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan—aimed at creating preferential tariffs on the export goods of both countries—an encouraging step, and assured ACCI’s full cooperation for the growth of trade between the two sides.

Mr. Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, referred to his recent visit to Uzbekistan and described trade relations between the two countries as improving. He noted Afghanistan’s role as a transit hub linking South Asia with Central Asia, and called on all traders participating in the meeting to seize the opportunity and engage in joint investments in various economic sectors with Uzbek traders.

Mr. Mohammad Younus Mohmand, First Vice Chairman of ACCI, expressed his appreciation to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate and the Economic Deputy of the Prime Minister’s Office for their support of the private sector and for defining their foreign trade policies. He described the establishment of a regional joint chamber of commerce among Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Türkiye as important for increasing the export volume of Afghan products to global markets, resolving private sector problems promptly, and creating transit facilities among the mentioned countries.

Mr. Mohmand described Afghanistan as a transit hub for Asian countries and encouraged Uzbek traders to transport their goods through Afghanistan to South Asian countries. He also regarded the current opportunities in Afghanistan as a favorable ground for investments, urging Uzbek traders to invest jointly with Afghan traders in various Afghan sectors.

Mr. Ebek Usmanov thanked ACCI for organizing the meeting, calling such gatherings important for developing trade relations between the two countries. He considered Afghanistan’s nationwide security vital for economic, industrial, and trade growth, and assured full cooperation with ACCI in resolving the problems of Afghan traders.

Mr. Tashmatov, Head of Exports at the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, referred to the increase in trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan over the past year and described the role of such meetings as valuable for developing bilateral trade. He stated that the main purpose of their visit to Afghanistan was to pursue joint investments with Afghan traders and find practical solutions for addressing the problems of the private sectors of both countries.

In addition to the above-mentioned speakers, the meeting was attended by ACCI leadership members, the Uzbekistan trade delegation, and a large number of traders and investors from both countries.

Sunday, 12 Asad 1404