The Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) is the leading business association facilitating U.S.-Afghan business and investment. AACC serves a diverse audience of U.S. and Afghan companies, as well as nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and think-tanks. AACC provides services to its members through many programs, advocates for a free and open market economy in Afghanistan, and builds U.S.-Afghan economic relations. Given it increasingly vital role in Afghanistan’s economic development, AACC has recently expanded its leadership.
New Chairman and Executive Vice President
The Board of Directors of AACC has unanimously appointed a new Chairman, Mr. Ajmal Ghani. Mr. Ghani is a founding members of the organization, was instrumental in the launching of AACC’s activities in Afghanistan and the establishment of the USAID-funded Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce in 2004 as well as the creation of the Afghan Business Council in Dubai. He possesses over two decades of professional experience in management and providing advisory services to international and domestic associations and companies. Mr. Ghani is an expert in Afghan affairs and has first hand knowledge of the matter. He served on the Board as well as the Executive Vice-President previously. The Board also unanimously appointed Mr. Assad Mattin, President of a real estate and investment firm in Virginia and former Afghan diplomat, as Executive Vice President. Mr. Atiq Panjshiri will continue to serve the organization as President.
Under its new leadership, AACC looks forward to a productive year in 2006 in all areas of the organization’s focus, including policy and strategy development, membership expansion, investment and trade promotion, and awareness through public relations and media outreach.
Continuing a Tradition of Strong Leadership
AACC appreciates the contributions of its Honorary Past Chairman Mr. Mahmood Karzai, who served AACC for three years. Chairman Karzai succeeded AACC’s first Chairman, Dr. Nadir Atash, who helped establish AACC’s presence and profile early in Afghanistan’s reconstruction process. Mr. Karzai has relocated to Afghanistan to serve as Chairman of the Afghan Investment Company and will be overseeing a cement and coal production project. He will continue to serve AAC as a member of the Board.
Mr. Karzai with AACC’s leadership was able to achieve many objectives of the organization. AACC hosted several successful events such as roundtables on tax policy, OPIC loan and insurance programs, and the historical U.S.-Afghan Business Matchmaking Conference in October 2005, at which the first Afghan trade delegation to the U.S. participated. Mr. Karzai was the leading driver of AACC’S policy reforms, including guaranteeing a free market economy in Afghanistan’s Constitution, promoting a liberal investment law, reducing tax burdens, and identifying obstacles to investment. Chairman Karzai was
influential with policymakers in Afghanistan and the U.S. and authored several editorials and articles to raise awareness of business and investment opportunities in Afghanistan. He also helped establish the Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce and the Afghan Business Council in Dubai.
Business Leadership Program
Another development in expanding AACC’s leadership is the recent launch of AACC’s Business Leadership Program. The internship program prepares future business leaders by providing qualified undergraduate and graduate students with an opportunity to gain valuable in-depth knowledge of U.S.–Afghan bilateral economic relations and private sector development in an emerging free market economy. Interns will be able to benefit from exposure to U.S. and Afghan companies interested in investment and trade, government agencies, other trade association, and other public and private institutions with whom AACC closely cooperates to meet its goals.
AACC believes that its recent leadership expansion will benefit its objectives. Given the organization’s goal to foster economic relations between Afghanistan and the United States, AACC is looking for a broader participation and welcomes memberships from companies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, think-tanks and other professionals who are interested in U.S.-Afghan economics relations.
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