Afghan Investment Agency Sponsors ‘Matchmaker’ Conferences Oct. 29 – Nov. 8 in Washington, Des Moines, Los Angeles, Toronto, and New York

The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), the one-stop-shop for investing in Afghanistan, and the Economic, Trade and Investment Department of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington DC, present Investing in Afghanistan: The Heart of Asia, the second annual investment promotion road show of AISA in North America from October 29^th through November 8^th, 2006. As last year, the road show will kick off with the second U.S.-Afghan Business Matchmaking Conference hosted by the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC). This year’s road show, however, will focus on investing and doing business in Afghanistan in sectors specific to local interests of cities being traveled to which include:

October 29^th-31^st, Washington DC: AACC/ AICC Business Matchmaking Conference
November 1^st, Des Moines, Iowa: Agriculture and Agro-processing
November 2^nd-3^rd, Los Angeles, California: IT and Telecommunication
November 4^th-6^th, Toronto, Canada: Energy and Mining
November 7^th-8^th, New York, New York: Construction, Finance and Insurance

The road show aims to increase awareness of North American business communities on the most recent economic, legal and institutional developments in Afghanistan. Most importantly, it will provide a rare opportunity for networking and business matchmaking with Afghanistan-based businesspeople. By working in partnership with local Afghan companies, U.S. investors can both contribute to the overall economic prosperity of Afghanistan and enjoy opportunities to profit from this emerging market.

Last year’s events presented a first opportunity for AISA to lead a delegation of over 40 Afghan private sector representatives to Washington DC, New York and San Francisco. Outcomes from this unprecedented event ranged from the formation of networks and exchange of creative ideas to the launch of successful business initiatives. The tour sparked great interest with over 200 representatives of both the Afghan-American expatriate communities as well as amongst prominent American investors.

This year’s road show will be led by Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, President and CEO of AISA along with Suleman Fatimie, Vice President of AISA, and Khaleda Atta, Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington DC. Participants will include representatives from major private companies in the U.S. and Canada, chambers of commerce, Diaspora, U.S. and Canadian government, and international organizations such as the World Bank, MIGA, UN and ADB.