Francisco Sánchez, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, will lead a vital trade mission to Kabul, Afghanistan, this September. Sánchez will bring representatives from 10 U.S. companies who are interested in pursuing export, partnership, and investment opportunities in Afghanistan. The Commerce Department is playing a critical role in facilitating the U.S. private sector’s engagement in Afghanistan’s commercial development and in strengthening our bilateral trade relationship.

“The bilateral relationship between the United State and Afghanistan is changing, and it’s important that we develop partnerships that ensure a strong Afghanistan,” Sánchez said. “These companies offer American products, services, and technologies that will bring economic benefits to the Afghan people and also stimulate American job growth.”

The Government of Afghanistan is taking steps to develop its market economy and increase both domestic and foreign private investment. It continues to create legal and administrative regulatory structures that will lead to a market more conducive to trade, investment and private sector development.

The Afghanistan market offers American companies important investment opportunities particularly in the agribusiness, extractive industries, infrastructure, and housing/construction sectors.

This mission will help U.S. companies explore business opportunities in Afghanistan and enhance U.S.-Afghan commercial relations by providing participants with first-hand market information, access to government decision makers, and the opportunity to meet with a range of Afghan businessmen. Additionally, one-on-one meetings will be arranged with potential agents, distributors, and partners that will allow participating firms to position themselves to enter or expand their presence in these sectors.

The following companies were selected for participation in the trade mission:

Aeromix – Golden Valley, Minn.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. – Fort Worth, Texas
Case New Holland – Washington, D.C.
Dynamic Defense Materials – Marlton, N.J.
Hertz – Park Ridge, N.J.
MCT Industry – Albuquerque, N.M.
Momentum Financial – New York, N.Y.
Morris and McDaniel, Inc. – Alexandria, Va.
Navistar Defense – Washington, D.C.
Quality Pavement Repair – Alpharetta, Ga.

A few weeks ago we, we reported about the second state of production by ARIA TV. Today I got an email from founder of ARIA TV and he promises a revolution children’s TV content in Afghanistan. The the message in his own words. ARIA TV, as the one and only exclusive channel for children and [...]

KABUL, July 16, 2011 ─ Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance and the World Bank today signed a $52 million grant from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) to support the government’s efforts to manage the country’s natural resources effectively and transparently. The Second Sustainable Development of Natural Resources Project will assist Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines [...]

The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a member of the World Bank Group, said today that it is providing political risk insurance to support the expansion of MTN Afghanistan’s (MTNA) operations. MTNA is a leading provider of telecommunication services in the country, operating a GSM network and providing wireless communications and internet services. This expansion [...]

ARIA TV, as an exclusive channel for children and teenagers, proudly announces the start of its second stage of broadcasting by ending its testing on air programs and has the motive of presenting a number of educational programs coated with entertainment aroma favored by kids and youths. ARIA TV, using modern methodologies and approaches, will [...]

The World Bank today approved an additional $40 million grant to continue supporting the Government of Afghanistan’s ongoing efforts to provide year-round access to basic services and facilities in rural areas. The Afghanistan National Emergency Rural Access Project (NERAP), launched in 2002 as one of four National Priority Programs, has rehabilitated some 10,370 kilometers of [...]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will set up a new fund which will pool public and private resources to help Afghanistan finance much-needed infrastructure. ADB’s Board of Directors has approved the creation of the Afghanistan Infrastructure Trust Fund, with ADB as its manager. It will provide an opportunity to bilateral, multilateral, and individual contributors to [...]

On November 6, 2010, Eng. A. Sangin, Minister of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a number of MCIT delegates, including Eng Baryalai Hassam Deputy Minister Technical, and other senior officials visited Logar province, for the official ceremony to inaugurate the Optical Fiber Network link between Logar, Paktia, Khost and [...]

Citi today announced that its Global Transaction Services business, entered into a banking agreement with the Afghanistan International Bank (AIB) headquartered in Kabul for AIB to serve as Citi’s correspondent in Afghanistan. The arrangement will strengthen the ability of GTS clients to execute payment and trade transactions to support business activities in Afghanistan. The alliance [...]

The Department of Commerce would like to inform you of an opportunity to participate in a carpet fair hosted by the Afghan Export Promotion Agency (EPAA). The EPAA invites you to attend their Third Afghanistan Carpet Fair at the Loya Jirga Compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, which will take place from November 27-30, 2010. The show [...]