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ACCI’s Chairman Mr. Tawakal Ahmadyar, Mr. Muhammad Atiq Zaki Policy Deputy to the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, ACCI’s Investment Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Sultan Muhammad Safi, ACCI’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee, ACCI’s Administrative and Financial Deputy to the Executive Board, and a number of traders and investors attended major mining projects’ awareness meeting and discussed the existing problems and challenges of the investors and exporters of the mining sector.  

Efforts and providing the required facilities of the Ministry of Mines and petroleum in regards to the export of precious stones and auction of small and big projects were appreciated by Mr. Ahmadyar and added that “ACCI praises this noble act of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and supports it.”

Mr. Ahmadyar also asked the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to develop a well-balanced policy to complete the incomplete projects’ initiatives.

Mr. Zaki said, “To provide the required facilities for the investors and exporters of precious stones, Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has taken measurable steps and from now on volunteers can continue to work having the support of governmental administrations.”  

Mr. Safi said, “We appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum but having said that these efforts are not ample to end issues of the investors and exporters of this sector.”
He, furthermore, said that illegal extraction of mines is prevalent in the country and has to be banned.

Mr. Atayee praised the facilities and policy developed by the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and hopes that this policy will help stop the smuggling of precious stones out of the country.  

At the end of the meeting, all participants expressed their valuable thoughts and opinions about eliminating the existing problems, and ACCI and the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum insisted on the continuation of such type of meetings.

Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI)’s Head to the Secretariat Mr. Khan Muhammad Safaraz Baz, Financial President to the Board of Directors Mr. Sherin Agha Sakhi, Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee, ACCI’s member of the Board of Directors Mr. Khan Jan Alokozay, Member of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee Mr. Khalid Ahmadi, KCCI’s First Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Ahmad Shah Hakimi, President of the Investment Services, government officials and a number of traders and investors attended a workshop held about making amendments to the Investment Law.

All the participants expressed their thoughts and views about the role of the Investment Law, existing problems of the investment, and how to enrich Investment Law.

Mr. Baz said, “Tellers play an imperative role in the field of investment and amendments to the Investment Law should be made according to the current situation of the tellers and the country.”

Mr. Atayee said, “Even the developed countries need to solicit external investment to their countries, and they consider it as the priority.”
He, furthermore, said that there are numerous investment opportunities in the country and that appropriate amendments should be made to the Investment Law in order to prevent escape of the capital from the country.

As representative of the Afghanistan Chambers Federation (ACF), Mr. Khan Jan Alokozay appreciated Presidential House’s efforts in regard to providing the required facilities for investors and insisted that traders and investors should be provided with much more facilities.

At the end, working groups were made and the existing problems and opportunities in investment were discussed.

ACCI's Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Shafiqullah Atayee attends Peace National meeting of the Employer Women organized by the Afghanistan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries (AWCCI) and expresses his valuable opinions about how to; overcome the existing problems and challenges.

Mr. Atayee said, “Women play an imperative role in the development of the economy of the country and we promise that as usual, ACCI is going to support the legal activities of the Private Sector.”

He, furthermore, said that traders are concerned about the current security situation of the country and that both sides engaged in war should consider the important role of the Private Sector in peace talks. Because, indeed the Private sector plays a vital role in establishing a long-lasting peace in Afghanistan.

Mrs. Afsana Rahimi chairwoman to the AWCCI praised women’s role in the development of the economy of the country in last two decades and said, “Currently almost 57 thousand female entrepreneurs and traders are engaged in business initiatives and are in dire need of the government's support.”

Mrs. Rahimi asked ACCI to continue providing the legal support and required facilities to female entrepreneurs.

Mrs. Lisa Refkey Political Deputy to UNAMA in Afghanistan and President to Social Peace Mechanism Mrs. Lailuma Nasery expressed their concerns about the current situation of Afghanistan and added that, “Afghan women are worried about their political status in the future and that their concerns have to be eliminated as soon as possible.”

At the end of the meeting, all participants carried out a group work activity in order to identify the existing problems and challenges and find legal solutions for them.

ACCI’s First Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Muhammad Younus Muhmand, Administrative and Financial Deputy to the Executive Board Mr. Mirwais Hotak, and a number of cloth dealers met with the Afghan traders who do business with China and discussed their serious existing problems.

President of the Cloth Dealers Association Mr. Obaidullah said, “There are 300 traders who do business with China but cannot get their visas which has rendered many problems such as: stoppage of trade with China, loneliness of the families of the traders living in China, and many more.  

Mr. Obaidullah appreciates ACCI’s support and asks its chairmanship to help them overcome this problem.

Mr. Muhmand said, “ACCI’s chairmanship has taken considerable measures to eradicate the foregoing issue and is committed to provide the traders with the required facilities.”

He, furthermore, said that he has shared this issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E Haneefullah Atmar through a phone call and that Mr. Atamr assured him of providing legal solutions to the problems.

Not to let the Covid-19 be the biggest obstacle for these traders to obtain their visas, Mr. Muhmand called the Public Health Acting Minister Mr. Waheed Majroh and asked him to vaccinate all the traders who need Chinese visas as soon as possible.

ACCI’s First Deputy to the Board of Directors Mr. Muhammad Younus Muhmand, Mr. Khan Jan Alokozay, Zia Uddin Achakzai, and Ahmad Zia Azimi Shenozada members of the Board of Directors, and Mr. Mirwais Hotak Administrative and Financial Deputy to the Executive Board of ACCI meets with the Afghan General Council to Pakistan Mr. Najeebullah Ahmadzay and discusses issues regarding transit, commerce, and investment.

Mr. Muhmand said that there are still a number of problems in exports to Pakistan and asked Mr. Ahmadzay to help provide legal solutions for these problems.

Furthermore, he said that Afghanistan has much more trade with Pakistan compared to other neighboring countries and there is an acute need for the commercial relations of both countries to be strengthened.

Mr. Alokozay said, “Professional and well-qualified Afghan commercial attaches have to be employed in the ports of Karachi, Islam Abad, and Quetta so that they could provide the required facilities for Afghan traders.”

He, furthermore, said that Afghan traders face numerous problems in regard to transit in Karachi, Waga, and Kuweta ports.

Mr. Shenozada said, “There are a number of drug companies in Pakistan that provide Afghan traders with low-quality medicines, and this act should be banned as soon as possible.”

Mr. Ahmadzay said, “Due to lack of security in Afghanistan, Afghan traders tend to invest in Pakistan but if the government of Afghanistan provides Afghan traders with ample security, they are willing to come back to the country and invest here.”

He assured ACCI’s chairmanship that in close coordination with ACCI, he is going to take measurable steps in eradicating the existing problems and providing Afghan traders with the required facilities. 
At the end of the meeting, ACCI’s chairmanship praised Mr. Ahmadzay’s efforts by awarding him an appreciation letter.