A delegation composed of Afghan and American businesspeople met with the officials of the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Industry and Commerce as well as the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.

President of the Afghan American Chamber of Commerce, Jeff Greico, said that it is time for the Afghan private sector to stand on its own two feet.

“I think the reason our government approved our visit is that there is an expectation now after 20 years of the United States' support and donor support to Afghanistan, it is time for the private sector of Afghanistan to stand up on its own two feet with the Emirate’s government and to start growing their country without corruption and without the restrictions that the previous government had put on their own development,” he said.

The head of the Afghan business council in the UAE, Haji Obaidullah Sader Khail, said that they have met with the traders and discussed their challenges.

“They (delegation) want to have an achievement from Afghanistan and want to convince the government and American traders that the situation in Afghanistan is not as they imagined it. We visited Afghanistan and met with the ministers. What are the problems and what are not the problems, we have clarified all of it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting Minister of Economy, Din Mohammad Hanif, said that war ended in Afghanistan and that opportunities for investment have been laid out in Afghanistan.

“Agreements were signed with the Americans in Qatar. We said that our war ended, and a new page was opened. You (Americans) try to bring equipment for reconstruction in Afghanistan, we don’t have any problem with it,” he said. 

“Transportation and Civil Aviation is an international sector, and no country can develop this country alone. This is a need, and we welcome this meeting. If the private sectors inside the country or abroad help us in this regard, we welcome it and will support them,” said Ghulam Jailani Wafa, deputy minister of Transportation and Civil Aviation. 

The delegation that included American businesspeople was the first to arrive in Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate came to power.