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Mr. Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment met with Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad, the former Special Envoy of the United States for Afghanistan, in Kabul.

During the meeting, they discussed commercial, economic, and banking challenges.

The issue of Afghanistan’s frozen assets was also addressed.

In conclusion, Dr. Khalilzad expressed his commitment to cooperate in resolving the issues that were discussed.

 

Mr. Alhaj Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), met with Mr. Zhao Xing, Ambassador of China to Afghanistan, at the Office of the Chairman of the Chamber. During the meeting, discussions were held on expanding trade and economic relations and exploring available investment opportunities between Afghanistan and China.

Mr. Hashemi, while welcoming Mr. Zhao Xing and his accompanying delegation, described the trade and economic relations between the two countries as having steadily improved over the years.
He emphasized the need for enhanced cooperation between the Chamber and the Chinese Embassy in encouraging traders to engage in joint investments, removing obstacles to trade, and creating trade facilitation measures. He highlighted China’s important role in regional economic development and its support for major infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and called on the Ambassador to encourage Chinese traders to engage in technical cooperation and joint investment with Afghan traders, particularly in the establishment of an oil refinery and an iron-smelting factory in Afghanistan.

Mr. Zhao Xing, expressing his pleasure at the meeting, reaffirmed the commitment of China to strengthening economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan. He assured that the Chinese Embassy in Kabul is ready to cooperate in facilitating trade relations and encouraging Chinese investors to undertake joint investments with Afghanistan’s private sector.

The meeting was also attended by the following respected individuals: Gulbahar Habibi, Deputy for Trade Affairs, and Mohammad Yousuf Yousofi and Zabihullah Samim, members of the Board of Directors of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment.

 

This online meeting was held with the aim of permanently reopening the trade and transit ports between the two sides under all circumstances, strengthening mutual cooperation, establishing coordinated mechanisms to resolve trade-related problems, and effectively utilizing existing capacities to expand economic relations between the two countries.

From the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), Mr. Alhaj Sayed Karim Hashemi, Chairman of the Chamber, along with members of the Board of Directors, heads of provincial chambers, and a number of prominent traders of the country participated in the meeting.

From the Pakistani side, Sheikh Atif Tanveer, Chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, along with several heads of chambers of commerce and industry from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Quetta, North Waziristan, and Kurram, were also present.

Mr. Hashemi described the closure of the trade and transit ports as harmful to the trade and economies of both neighboring countries, as well as to the wider region.

He added that, since the ports have been closed by the Government of Pakistan, he requested the Chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry to share the concerns of the private sectors of both countries with senior government officials and urge them to ensure the permanent reopening of the trade and transit ports under all circumstances.

He described traders as ambassadors of peace between nations and called upon them to play an active role in improving trade relations between the two countries.

Mr. Tanveer referred to the government and people of Afghanistan as brothers and emphasized the need for organizing multiple meetings aimed at reopening the trade and transit ports and resolving the challenges faced by the private sectors of both countries.

He assured his full cooperation in conveying traders’ concerns to senior officials of the Government of Pakistan.