Afghan Delegates Complete Training at Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution

In December 2011, senior members of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry completed a three-day workshop on arbitration and mediation at the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution. The event was organized in association with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program. Learn more.

Afghanistan Ministry of Mines Announces Four New Tenders

In December 2011, the Afghan Ministry of Mines announced a total of four new tenders for project areas containing gold and copper, including Badakhshan (low-sulphide gold quartz-vein); Zarkashan (copper-gold skarn); Balkhab (VMS); and Shaida (copper porphyry).

Visit www.afghanmineraltenders.com and www.mom.gov.af to learn more.

7th Annual U.S.-Afghanistan Business Matchmaking Conference Held in Washington, DC

The Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) held the 7th Annual U.S.-Afghanistan Business Matchmaking Conference (BMC) November 14 and 15, 2011, in Washington, DC.

Panel discussions with U.S. and Afghan business and government leaders highlighted opportunities in critical sectors including mining and natural resources; agribusiness; information and communications technology; construction and infrastructure; energy and power; transportation; and logistics and security. Visit www.a-acc.org to learn more.

Afghan Carpet Vendors Display at High Point Furniture Show

In October 2011, the Afghan Task Force brought over two Afghan carpet exporters to attend the High Point, NC furniture show where they displayed a large number of diverse Afghan carpets.  This enabled the exporters to speak with U.S. carpet retailers and wholesalers and to gauge the interest for Afghan carpets in the United States.  The production chain of Afghan carpets comprises almost 25% of total employment in Afghanistan thus enabling Afghans to find legal, well paying employment.

U.S. Geological Survey Releases Study on Afghanistan’s Mineral Resources

In early October, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released an updated survey on Afghanistan’s mineral resources, notably including rare earth elements, gold, iron and copper.

Read Article

View Report

See Press Release

Commerce Launches Carpet Retail and Export Training Series

From September 21-27, the U.S. Department of Commerce held a series of training sessions for Afghan rug and carpet producers in the cities of Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat, Afghanistan, on how to export to the United States. Sponsored in partnership with the Export Promotion Agency Afghanistan (EPAA), two American carpet importers and retailers instructed Afghan weavers on techniques for enhancing their sales prospects in the U.S. market. This initiative is an important step in growing the economy of Afghanistan, helping them transition to a stable and sustainable future.

Commerce staff worked closely with the EPAA and other U.S. and Afghan partners to draw over 150 Afghan participants to the trainings, with plans to continue developing follow-on activities to support the growth in export skills of these Afghan rug and carpet producers.

Link to Kabul training

Afghanistan Revenue Department Releases Tax Guidance

The Afghanistan Revenue Department (ARD) has released English-language tax guidance on the following topics, linked below in PDF format:

Visit ARD’s website periodically to learn if more information has become available.

Afghan Cashmere Traders Attend SPINEXPO:  July 18 – 20

From July 18 – 20, cashmere traders from Afghanistan will be at SPINEXPO to host the “Afghan Cashmere” booth.  Confirmed for attendance are Hotak Abdul Basir, the President of Herati Cashmere & Skin Processing Company and Abdul Aziz Zarang, the President of the  Afghanistan Cashmere Association. 

The delegates will attend to seek new marketing opportunities for Afghanistan’s skin; raw, dehaired cashmere; and yarns and variety of finished products for all foreign countries participating.  They are also conducting market research for cashmere products in the United States, Europe and Asia.  This visit is brought by the United States Agency for International Development’s Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (USAID/ASAP), and is also supported by the Department of Commerce’s Afghanistan Investment and Reconstruction Task Force.   To meet these traders please come to booth F01 at the Metropolitan Pavilion.

Pepsi to Open Bottling Plant in Afghanistan

PepsiCo recently signed an exclusive deal with the Dubai-based Alokozay Group to manufacture and distribute popular Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew and 7-UP in Afghanistan. A $60 million beverage bottling plant will be built in Kabul, and is expected to come into operation in March 2012. The deal is also expected to directly create 800 jobs.

Trade Mission to Kabul Announced
September 2011

A Senior U.S. Department of Commerce official will lead a business development trade mission to Kabul, Afghanistan, in September 2011. Participants will include small, medium and large U.S. businesses interested in exploring long-term business opportunities in Afghanistan. Applications are due by June 24, 2011. Read more

At April 13, a free, hour-long webinar with Senior Commercial Officer Robyn Kessler provided an overview of commercial opportunities in Afghanistan and responded to general questions for companies interested in the mission. View Slideshow Listen to Audio

One-Stop Shop from Afghan Exports Opens in Kabul
March 2011

In March, Afghan Minister of Commerce and Industries, H.E. Anwar ul Haq Ahadi, and U.S. Ambassador, Hans Klemm, opened the One-Stop Shop for Exporting. The new facility will host nine out of eleven Afghan agencies exports require trade authorization from under one roof to streamline the export process. The new facility is expected to reduce the time to complete export authorization procedures from days to hours and increase the transparency of the export process.

“Increasing the efficiency and volume of exports means more export earnings, more investments, higher income to Afghan producers, and the creation of more long-term employment opportunities,” said Ambassador Klemm.  “This new facility highlights our successful efforts with the Government of Afghanistan in the areas of trade and customs and demonstrates the U.S. Government’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan.”

Afghanistan’s National Business Agenda Report Released
March 28, 2011

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) presented Afghanistan’s National Business Agenda (NBA) to over 150 people representing the government, private sector, academia, and international community.  This event was the culmination of a coordinated effort between the Chamber and Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) to better understand the business challenges in the country and to frame appropriate solutions.  Five regional consultative sessions involving 1,300 businessmen and women were held to gather the inputs that will serve to guide our prospective advocacy endeavors. Read the report

2011 Afghanistan Country Commercial Guide Now Available
March 17, 2011

Every year, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul puts together an overview of the economic, legal, political, and financial systems in Afghanistan, with a view toward providing useful information for U.S. businesses interested in investment in or trade with this country. This report is now available in its most recent issue online, free-of-charge for your convenience. Read more

Third International Afghan Marble & Stone Conference
May 25-27, 2011

The Afghanistan Marble Industry Association (AMIA) has announced the third annual Afghanistan International Marble Conference to be held May 25-27, 2011, in Herat, Afghanistan.  Hosted by the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines and the AMIA, learn more by viewing the save the date or conference flyers; or by visiting the website.

International Afghan Tourism Conference Announced
May 23-30, 2011

The provinces of Bamyan and Panjshir and the city of Kabul will be hosting tourism and related industry conferences from May 23-30, 2011.  View the flyer. More information will be available soon.

ConExpo / ConAgg
March 22 – March 26, 2011

From March 22 to March 25, 10 Afghans construction firms attending ConExpo in Las Vegas, Nevada, will participate in the Department of Commerce’s International Buyers Program (IBP), which recruits thousands of qualified foreign buyers, sales representatives, and business partners to attend U.S. trade shows each year. These ten companies represent the first Afghan delegation to participate in an International Buyers Program (IBP), and highlight the Afghan companies’ interest in working closely with U.S. firms on construction projects throughout Afghanistan. Their presence at ConExpo provides U.S. companies the opportunity to identify Afghan firms to partner with on the many construction tenders being issued by the U.S. and other donors in Afghanistan. By partnering with a local Afghan firm, U.S. companies may qualify for the “Afghan First” set-aside in many of the construction and infrastructure tenders.

The Afghan companies participating in the event include: the Afghanistan Builders Association, Afghan Electrical Power Corporation, Aman Construction and Rehabilitation Company, Afghanistan Rehabilitation Architecture Organization, Elite Construction, Express Group International, Road and Roof Construction Company, Foshang Construction Company, Venco Imtiaz Construction Company, and FCEC/UI Projects.

Afghan Carpet Resource Center
January 14-16

From January 14-16, ITA hosted an “Afghan Carpet Resource Center” at the AmericasMart International Area Rug Market, the premiere and largest rug market in the United States. The resource center provided exhibitors and attendees at the Market with information on Afghan rugs, including informational flyers on Afghan rug associations and resources, Afghan rug booklets, and information on the ITA’s Sheep to Shop initiative. The Resource Center also exhibited rugs made in Afghanistan from U.S. importers including Ariana Rugs and Zamani Gallery. Special supporters included the Embassy of Afghanistan, Towpath Group International, LLC, Zamani Gallery, and Ariana Rugs.

Ministry of Mines Identifies Bidders for Next Round of Hajigak Iron Ore Tender
January 20, 2011

The Afghanistan Ministry of Mines has announced that 22 companies, including one U.S. consortium, that have expressed interest in the Hajigak Iron Ore Tender have been invited to bid. Read more