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.
ACCI’s First Deputy to the Board of Directors met with the Acting Minister of Finance
