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First Vice President’s order, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)’s leadership struggles, and Western Zone trader’s demands caused the second door of Islam Qala port to be opened to the traders of the country.

This significant decision was taken in a meeting which was attended by the First Vice President, ACCI’s leadership, and a number of Western Zone traders.

ACCI’s leadership thanked and praised the First Vice President Amrullah Salih for his excellent performance in this regard and said that this is a brilliant achievement for the private sector and the government of Afghanistan.

The opening of this gate will create more facilities and port services for the traders and thousands of commercial vehicles.

During a video conference, ACCI signed an MoU with the USAID about ACCI’s strategies regarding COVID 19.

USAID and ACCI wish to cooperate in a mutual effort to support and strengthen the capacity of ACCI to provide information to its membership and public regarding Covid-19 and the safe conduct of commerce. USAID intends to furnish ACCI in-kind assistance in the form of technical assistance and training over a period of six months from the date of the MoU.

Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi Chief Executive Officer of the ACCI and Tina Dooley Jones USAID Mission’s Head in Afghanistan signed the MoU at the end of this video conference.

On 28th/October/2020 Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment signed MoU with the Afghan National Insurance Company (ANIC) to provide better insurance services to traders and investors of the country.

ACCI’s CEO Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi said, “Insurance is important for traders and investors.” He furthermore said that this MoU will be effective to promote insurance services in the country and also for the betterment of the export department of ACCI, and that the insurance plays a significant role globally in transportation of commercial items.

ANIC’s head Mr. Maiwand Farahi said, “We have strived to satisfy traders to get benefits of insurance services.” He added that ANIC and ACCI’s export department have started this process together and are hopeful for this process to be implemented.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)’s CEO and Afghan National Insurance Company (ANIC)’s in charge signed this MoU.   

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment Chief Executive Officer Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi met with the Belarus’s Ambassador for Afghanistan Mr. Oleg IVANOV and had a discussion about commercial and economical relation’s consolidation.

ACCI’s CEO Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi said, “Holding commercial conferences, organizing exhibitions and exchanging commercial statistics were the articles of the MoU signed between Afghanistan and Belarus’s Commercial Chambers, unfortunately, none of which are implemented yet.” He, furthermore, said that signing commercial MoUs, holding commercial conferences, and organizing exhibitions can lead to expand and promote the commercial relations of both countries.  

Mr. Hashimi said that receiving visas and transportation of Afghan products to Belarus is a challenge and insisted that bilateral and multilateral transit and transport agreements are supposed to be signed between relevant countries.

Mr. Oleg IVANOV invited ACCI’s CEO to participate in the event which is going to be organized in April 2020 in the capital of Belarus to talk about the commercial and investment opportunities in Afghanistan. He also promised to cooperate in organizing events and receiving visas.   

It is worth mentioning that the cost of exports to Belarus is 80 thousand U.S dollars and the cost of imports from Belarus is one million U.S. dollars. 

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment CEO Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi, traders and investors of the country met with Ameer Muhammad Ramin new Afghan ambassador in Turkey and had a discussion about cooperation, expansion of commercial relations and exporters’ problems.

ACCI’s CEO asked the traders and investors of the country to share their suggestions, opinions, and problems with the new Afghan Ambassador in Turkey. Therefore, to provide solutions for the problems, increase exports, and to expand commercial relations.

Traders and investors said that receiving Turkey’s Visas, purification and packaging of dry fruit, and road export to Turkey are the main challenges for them and asked the ambassador to provide legal support in organizing exhibitions, signing MoUs, marketing for Afghan products in Turkey, and to solve problems of receiving Turkish visas.

Mr. Ameer Muhammad Ramin thanked ACCI for holding this meeting and said that this kind of meeting is really effective in solving traders’ problems, mutual expansion of commercial relations, and for the betterment of Afghan exports.

Mr. Ramin promised to constitute a working group inside the embassy which would strive to expand commercial relations, cooperate with the ACCI, provide legal solutions receiving Turkish visas, increase Afghan exports, and organize special events. 

Mr. Tawakal Ahmadyar ACCI’s Director - General, Muhammad Younus Muhmand ACCI’s First Deputy, Mr. Sherin Agha Sakhi Finance head of the board of directors, Mr. Sayed Jawid Burhan international relations head of the board of directors, Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi Chief Executive Officer of ACCI, Mr. Younus Qazi Zada Herat’s commercial and investment chamber’s head, a number of traders and investors of Western Zone of the country, DMs of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of the Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and National Standard Authority head met with the First Vice President of the country and had a discussion about the problems of the private sector and existing challenges.

Mr. Tawakal Ahmadyar thanked the First Vice President of the country for holding regular meetings and providing solutions for the problems of the private sector.

Mr. Sayed Zaman Hashimi praised the struggles of the First Vice President for the private sector development in the country and kindly asked him to continue.

Mr. Qazi Zada said, “Western Zones’ traders and investors are facing the following challenges.

  1. Bribery on highways by National Security Forces and by armed oppositions.
  2. Delay of the commercial items in the customs.
  3. One of the two doors of Islam Qala port is closed which has created serious problems for the traders and investors.”

Western Zone’s traders and investors said, “There is no standard system which could evaluate the imported items in National Standard Authority (NSA) and there are no sufficient new buildings in Herat’s Custom which leads to numerous problems of the traders and investors.” 

The First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Amrullah Salih assured traders and investors of the Western Zone of the country that the government would provide legal support and solutions for their problems.

H.E First Vice President asked Herat’s commercial and investment chamber’s head to introduce all bribe-devouring people, so that the government can take reasonable measures and can provide legal support.

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