Archive

Wednesday, August 19th, 2026
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, met with Mr. Fahmi Solak, Chairman of Sonay Investment, Construction and Energy Company of Turkey, to discuss and exchange views on ways to expand economic and trade relations and strengthen cooperation between the private sectors of Afghanistan and Turkey.
During the meeting, both sides, emphasizing the friendly relations and existing capacities between Afghanistan and the Republic of Turkey, discussed opportunities for cooperation and investment in various economic sectors and highlighted the important role of the private sector in developing trade and economic relations between the two countries.
The establishment of a joint and permanent trade market between Afghanistan and Turkey was also discussed. This market could serve as a suitable platform for the sustained presence of companies, traders, and investors from both countries, the promotion and supply of products, the expansion of trade networks, and the establishment of direct connections between economic actors in Afghanistan and Türkiye.
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi welcomed the proposal to establish such a trade platform and emphasized the readiness of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment to facilitate connections between economic actors of the two countries, support the establishment of joint cooperation, and provide the necessary conditions for investment and trade.
Both sides expressed hope that through the continuation of such discussions and the establishment of practical mechanisms for cooperation, new opportunities would be created to increase bilateral trade, attract investment, expand joint cooperation, and strengthen economic relations between Afghanistan and Turkey.

Tuesday, August 18th, 2026
A group of Russian traders and investors who traveled to Kabul to assess conditions in Afghanistan for potential business activities met with the leadership of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI, accompanied by Mr. Arian Zalgai Azimi, Deputy Chairman for Investment, met with a group of Russian traders and investors active in the oil and gas, medical equipment, and dried fruit sectors at the ACCI headquarters.
Welcoming the Russian delegation, Mr. Hashemi described foreign investors as bridges connecting nations and countries. He highlighted Afghanistan’s secure environment, favorable climate, and trade and investment potential as valuable opportunities for foreign investment, assuring the guests of ACCI’s readiness to facilitate and support all legitimate trade and investment activities.
The Chairman of ACCI also encouraged Russian traders to facilitate the export of Afghan products and discussed opportunities for major investments in Afghanistan’s oil and gas sector.
Mr. Mohammadov Khabir, one of the Russian investors who has previously invested in the oil and gas sector in Asian countries, including Iran, Iraq, and Syria, shared his observations from his recent visits to Kabul and several other Afghan cities. Expressing satisfaction with what he had seen, he said that while they had previously received negative reports about Afghanistan through the media, their experience on the ground had been completely different. He noted that Afghanistan today could offer a good environment for their investment.
Subsequently, Mr. Azimi, Deputy Chairman for Investment of ACCI, provided the Russian guests and traders with technical information regarding investment opportunities and procedures in Afghanistan.
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Yahya Pashtun, Member of the ACCI Board of Directors, and Mr. Abdul Qasim Amarkhail, Chairman of the Dried Fruit Exporters Union, also attended the meeting.

Wednesday, August 19th, 2026
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), Mr. Ibrahim Mohib, Deputy Chairman for International Relations, other deputy chairmen and members of the ACCI Board of Directors met with Mr. Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran, his accompanying delegation, and Mr. Alireza Bigdeli, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Kabul, during a reception hosted by ACCI. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Mawlawi Sadr-e-Azam Osmani, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock of Afghanistan; Mr. Ahmadullah Zahid, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce; and a number of other officials. The two sides emphasized the expansion of economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran.
During the meeting, Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI, welcomed the high-level Iranian delegation and highlighted the longstanding relations and historical, cultural, and economic ties between the two countries. He stated that Afghanistan and Iran possess significant potential for expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
Referring to Afghanistan’s existing potential in agriculture, food processing, mining, energy, transit, manufacturing, and human resources, Mr. Hashemi emphasized the need to effectively utilize these capacities to increase trade volumes, attract joint investments, establish joint ventures, facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology, develop processing industries, and create greater value within Afghanistan.
The Chairman of ACCI also called for expanded practical cooperation in the transfer of modern agricultural and irrigation technologies and methods, agricultural processing, production machinery, packaging, and the development of value chains. He stated that cooperation by Iranian companies and investors in these areas could contribute to the growth of domestic production and create new economic opportunities in Afghanistan.
He further emphasized the importance of providing greater facilitation for economic operators from both countries and called for cooperation between the relevant Afghan and Iranian institutions to facilitate visas for traders and investors, business travel, transit and movement of goods, banking interactions, customs procedures, and more effective utilization of trade port capacities.
Mr. Hashemi stressed that creating a favorable and predictable environment for trade and investment activities could increase private-sector confidence, expand bilateral trade, and contribute to sustainable economic cooperation between the two countries.
Mr. Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome and hospitality extended by Afghan authorities, ACCI leadership, and the country’s business community, and emphasized the importance of the longstanding and friendly relations between Afghanistan and Iran.
The Iranian Minister of Agriculture described the proposals presented by the Chairman of ACCI regarding the expansion of economic and trade relations as important and worthy of follow-up. He emphasized the need to transform the existing capacities between the two countries into practical, sustainable, and results-oriented cooperation.
Mr. Ghezeljeh, referring to recent changes and developments in Iran’s economic and trade conditions, stated that greater opportunities have emerged in certain areas, particularly for the export of food products, raw materials, construction materials, and health products, creating additional possibilities for cooperation and meeting the needs of the Afghan market.
He also highlighted new facilitation measures in Iran’s trade ports, customs procedures, and banking interactions, and encouraged Afghanistan’s private sector to make effective use of the available opportunities.
The Iranian Minister of Agriculture also announced plans to establish a special trade commission between Afghanistan and Iran in the near future. He stated that the commission, with the participation of specialists and experts from both countries, would provide a mechanism for the regular follow-up of trade and investment agreements and understandings.
He expressed hope that the establishment of this mechanism would enable agreed matters between the two countries to move beyond dialogue and understanding toward specific operational and implementation programs, thereby accelerating the expansion of trade and economic relations between Afghanistan and Iran.
The meeting was also attended by Mr. Ahmad Nabizada, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines; deputy chairmen of the Chambers of Agriculture and Artisans; and a number of Afghan traders and investors.
From the Iranian side, Mr. Akbar Fathi, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture; Hassan Momeni, Director General of International Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture; Gholamreza Golmohammadi, Chairman of the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization; and Mr. Seyed Sajjad Hosseini, Head of Public Relations at Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture, also attended the meeting.

Tuesday, August 18, 2026
In a new step toward strengthening cooperation between private-sector institutions and creating opportunities for large-scale investment, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) and the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint shareholding company.
The MoU was signed at a ceremony held at the Government Media and Information Center in the presence of Mr. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs; Mr. Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Mr. Mawlawi Din Mohammad Hanif, Minister of Economy; Mr. Mullah Mohammad Nasir Akhund, Minister of Finance; Mr. Noor Ahmad Agha, Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank; Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI; ACCI deputy chairmen and board members; Mr. Alhaj Nabi Zada, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines; as well as traders, industrialists, investors, and media representatives.
The joint shareholding company aims to pool the capital and capacities of the private sector, facilitate investors’ participation in major projects, promote industrial and trade development, and support productive investments aligned with the country’s economic priorities.
Mr. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, highlighting the role of the private sector in the national economy, emphasized that Afghanistan’s economic development cannot be achieved by the government alone and that the private sector constitutes an important part of the national economy.
He stressed the importance of creating a secure and reliable investment environment, simplifying administrative procedures, and organizing and directing capital through the establishment of joint shareholding companies. He described such initiatives as important steps toward making effective use of the country’s domestic capacities.
Mr. Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce, described the establishment of the joint shareholding company between the two chambers as an important step toward Afghanistan’s industrialization and economic self-sufficiency.
He emphasized that addressing the country’s economic challenges should be pursued by utilizing the capabilities, initiatives, and capacities of Afghans, while noting the government’s commitment to supporting private-sector economic and investment activities.
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI, emphasized in his remarks that the objective of this initiative is not merely to establish a commercial company, but to create a joint capacity for mobilizing Afghan capital and transforming fragmented capital into large-scale, productive investments.
He stated:
“The strength of a shareholding company lies in bringing together multiple sources of capital, experience, and capacity within a unified framework to make major projects possible.”
The Chairman of ACCI, referring to the country’s need for fundamental investments, emphasized that projects should be selected based on comprehensive economic and technical studies, market needs, domestic capacities, and profitability.
He also stressed the need to shift from an import-oriented economy toward a production-oriented economy, stating:
“Whatever we have the capacity and ability to produce in Afghanistan, we should produce in Afghanistan.”
Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi called on Afghan traders and investors inside and outside the country to contribute to this economic initiative and invest their capital in major and productive projects in Afghanistan.
He also described ACCI and the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines as “two strong arms of Afghanistan’s private sector”, emphasizing the importance of cooperation, coordination, and mutual trust between the two institutions.
The Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines also described the signing of the MoU as an important step toward greater coordination within the private sector and creating opportunities for joint investment in major economic projects.
Under the MoU, the two chambers will work to mobilize the capacities of investors, traders, and industrialists within a joint framework and facilitate the assessment and implementation of major projects across various economic sectors.
The MoU is regarded by both institutions as the beginning of a new phase of cooperation aimed at increasing investment, strengthening domestic production, creating employment opportunities, reducing dependence on imports, and advancing toward economic self-sufficiency.
In his concluding message, the Chairman of ACCI emphasized a shared national objective:
From imports to production; from dependence to self-sufficiency; from fragmented capital to large-scale investment; and from separate efforts to a coordinated national movement.
Afghan capital for the development of Afghanistan; a strong economy, a strong Afghanistan!

Saturday, August 15th, 2026
Mr. Arian Zalgai Azimi, Deputy Chairman for Investment of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), accompanied by a group of Afghan traders and investors, participated in the Uzbekistan–China Investment and Trade Forum held at the Termez International Trade Center.
The forum was attended by Mr. Alhaj Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce; Mr. Mawlawi Mohammad Yusuf Wafa, Governor of Balkh Province; Mr. Jamshed Khojaev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan; the Minister of Culture of the People’s Republic of China; the Governor of Surkhandarya Province; the Afghan Ambassador to Tashkent; the Deputy Minister of Mines and Petroleum; the Director General of State-Owned Enterprises; and a number of officials and private-sector representatives from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and China. The participants emphasized the expansion of economic and trade cooperation and joint investment.
The Afghan delegation emphasized the importance of expanding trade and economic relations with Uzbekistan and China, establishing new transit corridors, increasing Afghan exports to regional markets, and attracting foreign investment.
During a bilateral meeting between Afghan and Uzbek officials, the participants discussed expanding economic cooperation and joint investment in the mining, agriculture, and energy sectors. The Uzbek side expressed interest in investing in various sectors, while the Afghan side emphasized its readiness to facilitate the necessary conditions for investment and joint cooperation.
Mr. Arian Azimi, Deputy Chairman for Investment of ACCI, raised the opportunities and challenges facing the private sector during the bilateral meeting and stated that ACCI is ready to pursue joint investment initiatives with its Uzbek counterpart.
On the sidelines of the forum, Mr. Azimi also met with the Chairman of the Surkhandarya Chamber of Commerce and the Director of Agriculture of Surkhandarya Province. The discussions focused on Afghan cotton and fresh fruit, as well as the readiness of Afghanistan’s private sector for joint investment. The participants also discussed establishing processing plants for Afghan fresh and dried fruits in Uzbekistan and exporting processed products from Uzbekistan to European markets.
The Chairman of the Surkhandarya Chamber of Commerce of Uzbekistan also committed to sharing proposals on the mechanization of Afghanistan’s cotton sector with ACCI.
During the visit, the Deputy Chairman for Investment of ACCI was accompanied by Mr. Najabat Haidari, Member of the ACCI Board of Directors; Mr. Kambiz Sadri and Mr. Dawlat Khan Mofakker, Deputy Chairmen of the Balkh Chamber; Khairuddin Mayel Ahmadi, Advisor; and Mr. Merajuddin Parhez, Mr. Attila Kamgar, and Mr. Zabihullah Kahmardi, Members of the Balkh Provincial Board of Directors.