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This online conference was organized by the Afghan Embassy for Turkmenistan and attended by the ACCI’s acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee, Khan Jan Alokozay, Jan Aqa Sadiqi, and Bahadar Khair Khawa members of the Board of Directors, and a number of traders who do business dealings with Turkmenistan.

Afghan Ambassador for Turkmenistan Mr. Khan Wali Khan Basharmal said, “Prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Afghanistan's trade with Turkmenistan was at its high level, but in the current situation, there has been a decline in all sectors except oil. To improve trade, the Afghan private sector should work together with the Afghan Embassy in Turkmenistan, and fortunately, Turkmenistan is ready to cooperate in this regard.”

Mr. Atayee said that Afghan traders are still facing problems in regard to getting visas, getting the purchased merchandise, and enacted fine on Afghan merchandise and asked the Afghan Embassy for Turkmenistan to provide legal solutions for these problems.

He, furthermore, said that ACCI is ready to exhibit 50 to 60 booths of its member products at the Turkmen Exhibitions and to establish a joint chamber or business council with Turkmenistan in order to introduce Afghan products and expand trade relations between the two countries.

He, also said that ACCI is ready to encourage its members to export not only grapes and pomegranates but also all Afghan products from Turkmenistan to Russia and Eastern European countries.

ACCI’s Board Members Khan Jan Alokozay, Jan Aqa Sadiqi, and Bahadar Khair Khwa talked about the existing challenges and opportunities in trade between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

Mr. Basharmal said that in coordination with the Private Sector of Afghanistan especially, ACCI he is willing to create a business council and joint commercial agencies.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee and Administrative and Financial Deputy of the Executive Board Mr. Mirwais Hotak met with the commercial attaché of the Roots of Peace and had a discussion about the expansion of commercial relations, exports increment, and joint cooperation.

Mr. Atayee welcomed the commercial attaché and provided information about the ACCI’s services and added that in order to promote business development and economic growth, the ACCI holds commercial meetings and organizes commercial exhibitions on regional and international levels.  
He, furthermore, added that ACCI is committed to facilitate the issuance of visas to traders, find solutions to the existing problems and challenges of traders in the field of exports and imports, provide certificate of origin for products and share the problems of the traders and investors with the relevant government agencies and take concrete steps to eliminate them.

Representatives of the Roots of Peace said, “In order to promote trade and economic growth, we are trying to market Afghan agricultural products such as spices, pine nuts and other new products in Russia, Saudi Arabia, India and other countries of the region and the world.”

They, furthermore, said, “In order to increase investment and pave the way for economic development, we plan to set up a business training incubation center to provide food security, economic planning, productivity growth, and business opportunities to businesses and business people. Introduce training programs for farmers under the headings of Good Cultivation and Good Yield. In addition, we are hosting regional and global trade shows and we need the support and cooperation of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment in this regard.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Atayee and Mr. Mirwais Hotak, pledged their full support and cooperation to the Roots of Peace and called for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ACCI and Roots of Peace.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)'s First Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Muhammad Younus Muhmand met with the Deputy Ambassador of the Czech Republic Mr. Ashtepan Konopask and had a discussion about the expansion of commercial relations and joint cooperation.

Mr. Muhmand talked about the expansion of commercial relations, establishment of a joint chamber, and activating electronic buses in Afghanistan and asked for the cooperation of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in this regard.

He, furthermore, said a joint trade event is going to be launched in the Czech Republic this year and the cooperation of the Embassy of the Czech Republic is crucial and essential.

Mr. Ashtepan Konopask promised to provide the required facilities for all the above-mentioned issues.

ACCI’s First Deputy to the board of directors Mr. Haji Muhammad Younus Muhmand, head of the secretariat of the board of directors Mr. Khan Muhammad Sarfaraz Baz, head of the finance of the board of directors Mr. Sherin Agha Sakhi, Ziauddin Achakzey and Ahmad Zia Azimi Shenozada members of the board of directors, investors and traders of the country met with the Acting Minister of Finance H.E Muhammad Khalid Painda and Customs Deputy Ms. Amena Ahmadi and had a discussion about the existing problems of the private sector.

Mr. Muhammad talked about the problems of traders importing spare parts, high tariffs on paper imports and non-payment to Kam Air for transporting goods to different parts of the world and asked the Ministry of Finance to provide legal solutions for these problems.

Mr. Muhammad Khalid Painda talked about the existing corruption and added that we want to separate real traders from commissioners and in collaboration with the ACCI, I want to address the problems of traders. He insisted that talks between the Ministry of Finance and the private sector should address the problems of the country's traders.
He, furthermore, promised to solve the problems of the airlines in a special meeting with the relevant governmental agencies.

Mr Khan Muhammad Sarfaraz Baz talked about the existing corruption, particularly customs, which has been caused a gap between the government and traders. He also said, “We want transparency in trade and customs tariffs and we are ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Finance and the Deputy Minister of Customs in this regard”.

Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee said that ACCI is willingly supporting private-sector-government dialogue to address the problems of the country's traders and assured that ACCI is ready for any kind of cooperation in this regard. He noted the achievements of the government and the private sector in exporting through the air corridor and the problems that have arisen in recent months due to non-payment of subsidies to some airlines, including Kam Air, Ariana, Turkish and Spacegate. The Ministry of Finance has been asked to co-operate in eradicating them.

Mr. Sherin Agha Sakhi insisted the importance of equitable implementation of the law in the country's customs and called for simplification of the process of payment of taxes and government revenue. He promised every kind of cooperation between businessmen and investors in law enforcement.

Some paper importers then expressed their concerns about the 20 percent increase in tariffs on paper imports, stressing that this would lead to a production monopoly by the manufacturing company, a shortage of paper in the market and higher prices.

Ms. Amena Ahmadi said that the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) is a member of Tariff Determination Committee and the increase in customs tariffs on paper is being considered by the Tariff Determination Committee, which is then approved by the government.

A Chinese investor launched the first exhibition of Chinese products in Kabul for the first time. A number of Chinese and Chinese-Afghan joint ventures showcased their products at this exhibition.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)’s First Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Muhammad Younus Muhmand said, “Afghan traders and investors still encounter many problems in getting Chinese visas. Therefore, we kindly ask the Chinese government to provide the required facilities in regard to this problem.”
He, furthermore, said that Chinese investors are eager to invest in Afghanistan.

Mr. Youmeng Hoi, a person who was in charge of launching the exhibition said that a number of Chinese investors have come here to invest in Afghanistan.

Chinese traders and investors said that if the required facilities of investing are provided for them, they are willing to invest in fields of construction paints, power cables, and plastics.