Over 350 persons attended the 5th Annual Business Matchmaking Conference 2009 in Washington DC sponsored by the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC)

Matchmaking Photos

The Afghan- American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) held its fifth annual Business Matchmaking Conference in Washington DC from October 18 through October 20. The Conference was held in Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and new “W” Hotel, in the heart of Washington, DC’s government district, in view of the White House, home of the President of the United States. 

 

This event highlighted still untapped economic opportunity and the pressing need to put greater emphasis on the Afghan private sector.

The partnering role in support of the Conference played by officials and members of sister organizations to AACC: the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), the Afghan Business Council - Dubai and the Afghan Builders Association, ‘ut to commend them.

All agreed that this Conference was the most successful in the history of AACC Matchmaking Events which date back to 2005.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead, AACC is slated to play a key role in Afghanistan's private sector development.. The signing of a six way agreement to collaborate with other pro Afghanistan business development chambers in Canada, Dubai, Afghanistan and the Netherlands will further AACC’s reach in promoting the Afghan private sector and investment in Afghanistan. Reaching out to the conference attendees to further their business-to-business relationships is underway. New Working Groups such as Mining and Minerals, Construction, and Information and Communication Technologies will collaborate via a virtual platform on these Afghanistan business sectors. New memberships have jumped dramatically.

As a result of this conference AACC's activities will increase in the coming months to expose the significant investment potential in Afghanistan. Given intense media focus on the conflict, the economic outlook in Afghanistan is hardly talked about, yet businesses are thriving there. Just ask the 60 business men and women who were able to obtain Business Visas for the first time in Kabul. Importantly, the opportunities to hire skilled labor and promote sustainable jobs have increased as a base of newly educated young workers enter into the Afghan economy.

Many goals were met with this conference but the most rewarding one was to have so many attending, a record number of 350+ attendees. We were particularly encouraged by the attendance of some 60 businesspeople from Afghanistan.

Conference Focus: “Tapping into business opportunities in Afghanistan”

In order to set the tone for practical Matchmaking, the conference addressed the most relevant opportunities and challenges faced by both Afghan and U.S. businesspeople. Topics ranged from practical experience with doing business in Afghanistan to experience of foreign investors to sources of private and public capital for investment in the private sector

 “The conference program was designed to assist Afghan and American businessmen and women identify ways and means of finding business opportunities and partners”, Ghani said. That’s what Matchmaking is all about”, he added.

Two highlights of the first day’s topics, particularly for the Americans unfamiliar with Afghanistan, was a general review of Afghanistan’s economy and business conditions.  Mr. Noorullah Delawari, Founding President and CEO of the Afghan Investment Support Agency (AISA) and Minister Advisor to the President and H.E. Said Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador to the United States, described the current general business conditions and the ’realities on the ground’ in Afghanistan.

AACC and its colleagues on the ground in Afghanistan believe that it is extremely important for Americans to learn that business is conducted throughout the country on a daily basis unimpeded by violence, that the conflict is mainly in the more remote regions and that Afghanistan is not what just what people see on TV in the U.S. That’s what the AISA chief and the Ambassador were able to convey.

Separate panels of businesspeople and experts described business opportunities in key
Industry sectors including agribusiness; energy and power, mining, minerals and oil and gas; infrastructure and construction including roads, buildings, bridges, etc.

AACC and colleagues were honored when Major General Jeffrey Dorko, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ military arm worldwide delivered opening remarks to the Construction panel which was moderated by AACC Board member, Atiq Panjshiri. No doubt there was tremendous interest on all sides in construction opportunities.

What became evident to the Americans was that Afghanistan needs everything and that all areas of the economy offer plenty of opportunity for engagement and profit.

Second Day focuses on resources available to business

The second day’s panels were designed to provide both Afghan and US business people with
Information  regarding private and public resources available to support their investments and business ventures. The panels -- moderated by AACC Board member and AACC Development Committee Chair, Francis Skrobiszewski and David Beg, respectively -- included representatives of international financial institutions, Afghan and US government agencies, banking interests and private capital sources.

Following on the financing opportunities Panel, U. S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense and Director, Task Force for Economic Stability Operations, Paul Brinkley, leader of DoD’s successful private sector-based reconstruction efforts in Iraq, delivered the day’s Keynote speech.

Mr Brinkley was enthusiastic about the private sector potential for Afghanistan and described the beginnings of a “roadmap” for DOD’s role in private sector-driven economic development that Afghan and US businesses should benefit from.

“After visiting all the major cities of Afghanistan on recent visits, I was impressed with what the Afghans had achieved given impressions one gets from the media. I was impressed with the size and scope of the achievements of the private sector and by the capable Afghan businesspeople I met”, Brinkley stated. 

The promise of robust DoD engagement in promoting stability via private sector engagement is a promising sign for U.S. and Afghan business.

Doing business with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
The Cooperating with DoD on Economic Development Panel members spoke to opportunities such as the large and highly-accessible-to-Afghan companies, Commanders Emergency Reconstruction Program (CERP), DoD requirements for accountability, and the on-the-ground realities out in contested areas.

The Panel moderator, Hon. Joseph Schmitz, who was DoD’s Chief Inspector General (IG) for eight years and who is now engaging with SIGAR in Afghanistan, spoke of the scope and intensity of the auditing effort that DoD is pushing in order to fight corruption and mismanagement by increasing U.S. government contracting integrity and efficiency.

Industry Sector Roundtables stimulate great interest
Last but not least were the all important Industry-Sector Roundtable Discussion sessions which brought together U.S. and Afghan businesspeople with government officials, representatives of donor agencies, international financial institutions and private capital providers. The aim was to generate an open discussion of both opportunities and impediments and the sessions certainly lived up to their potential.

Robust exchange ensued during the Industry Sector Roundtables focused on Construction; Information Technology and Telecommunications; and Energy, Power and Natural Resources. As a result of AACC and ACCI member as well as other participant interest in continuing the respective Roundtable discussions.

New Working Groups: AACC is presently planning signature Working Groups (WGs) in these areas to optimize opportunities and reduce impediments. AACC welcomes participation of ACCI members. The WGs operate as “virtual think tanks”; they can produce strategies, recommendations and position papers which can be provided to Ministries and government agencies both U.S. and Afghan. AACC has had excellent experience with Working Groups on Tax Policy and Access to Capital/Private Sector Investment.

U.S. – Afghan business MOUs signed: As a result of energetic discussions between parties, during the course of the Conference, and with the leadership of AACC Board member, Bill Joern, some twenty Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to pursue business opportunities, relationships, potential partnerships, joint ventures and possible sales were developed and signed by U.S. and Afghan business representatives. AACC and ACCI colleagues will be facilitating follow-up between the signatory parties. 

Six-Chamber Cooperation MOU signed: As a culmination to the Conference, a comprehensive MOU was signed by respective organization Chairmen or their representatives linking six Afghanistan-business oriented Chambers: AACC, ACCI, ABC-Dubai, the Afghan Canadian, the Netherlands and the Netherlands Dubai organizations. The goal of the MOU is international, inter-Chamber collaboration on business opportunities and challenges.

Special Contributions

Unprecedented AACC - ACCI Cooperation on visas
ACCI showed excellent organizing skills when it took charge of the visa application process in Kabul: First, in gathering the potential Afghan attendees; Second, in getting potential attendee information-laden lists to AACC; Third, in conveying AACC’s invitations to persons on the lists, and finally in overseeing the process of applying to the Kabul U.S. Embassy’s new visa- issuing Consulate. ACCI and AACC collaborated.

AACC leadership had met on several occasions with U.S. Consular officials to better understand key requirements in the interview process and then, along with ACCI colleagues held training sessions for ACCI members about to engage in such interviews.

ACCI Vice-Chairman Khanjan Alokozai extended Conference-opening greetings on behalf of ACCI members. CEO Kabir Haqjo moderated a panel on Experience of Foreign Investors in Afghanistan. Many others in the ACCI delegation participated effectively in post-Panel Question &Answer and industry sector-specific wrap-up discussions sessions.

The Afghan Business Council-Dubai (ABC - D) Chief Executive Haji Obaidullah Saderkhail also helped kick-off the event and a number of colleague members attended.

The Afghan Builders Association (ABA) and its President Naeem Yassin and attending members also provided support for the conference. Construction was a very major area of interest for the attendees.

“The largest attendance in the history of the Conference, with more than 350 persons participating, was a reflection of a team effort by all concerned”, stated AACC Chairman Ajmal Ghani who served as Master of Ceremonies for the Conference. “We are especially grateful to our Afghan colleagues for their effort and expense in coming to the Conference”, he added.

Indeed, this year’s conference had more than 60 Afghan businesses and their leaders coming from Afghanistan, a record turnout attributed by all to excellent cooperation between the Embassy Consulate, AACC and ACCI.

Support from the Consulate in the U.S. Embassy exceeded all expectations
“U.S. Embassy consular officials went out of their way to accommodate Afghans seeking to attend the Conference and we are all grateful for their hard work and friendly attitude”, said AACC President, Don Ritter”. The difference between this and previous years when visas were issued in Islamabad was remarkable”, Ritter added.

What is now clear is that visa issuance for Afghans in Dubai is far more problematic than in Kabul. Work remains to be done on that account and AACC, ACCI and ABC-Dubai need to join forces to change the way things are working at the Consulate in Dubai.

Recognition

Honors Awarded at Conference Banquet
Added highlights to the business opportunity-oriented Panel and Roundtable discussions were enjoyed by attendees at the Conference Banquet, held this year at the new and elegant “W” Hotel.

Businessperson of the Year Award: First, AACC presented its coveted Businessperson of the Year Award to Ibrahim Lutfi, Chairman of TriVision Studios (U.S. and Kabul) and Kabul Felez, his rehabilitated furniture maker and steel structures company once again operating in Kabul. That award is presented annually to an American-led or U.S.-based company or businessman who has made significant contributions to business and the private sector in Afghanistan. In accepting the award on behalf of his father, Sulaiman Lutfi described the reach and activities of his family’s businesses in and their dedication to rebuilding the country.

Distinguished Service Award: Second, AACC initiated a new award, its Distinguished Service Award, given to an individual who has shown outstanding service to the organization. The award was presented to AACC Founding President, Atiq Panjshiri who served as President of AACC from its very beginning in 2002 until his decision not to run for another term in early 2009. In accepting the award from the current President representing AACC, Hon. Don Ritter, Mr. Panjshiri spoke and dedicated it to the “terrific support (he) received from his AACC colleagues over the years”.

To cap off the Awards Ceremony and most enjoyable dinner, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq and the U.N., Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad presented an insightful update on the election situation in Afghanistan having just returned from the country.

The Full Conference Agenda is available on the AACC Website www.a-acc.org


In Conclusion

The outpouring of commendation to AACC event organizers and staff has been significant and our appreciation is reciprocated to so many who have expressed their gratitude.

AACC members and non-members alike came away with relevant information from the AACC Business Matchmaking Conference 2009.

Finally, it should be recognized that the ability to meet in-person and hear from key individuals in Washington, DC from across the U.S. and Afghanistan would have been hard for anyone to arrange in a venue like this. But with a cooperative and “active engagement” approach, once more the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce and its hard-working and generous colleagues, delivered.

To all of you, thank you,

AACC Executive Committee and Board of Directors, December 2009