Delhi investment meet on Afghanistan kicks off

KABUL kicked off in the Indian capital on Thursday, largely to woo foreign investors to explore trade opportunities in the Central Asian nation.

Delegates from some 40 countries are expected to participate in the meeting, where investors would be briefed on business climate, investment overview and Afghan’s economic growth story.     

India’s External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna and Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma would be participating in the event.

A 19-member high-powered Afghan delegation is also in Delhi. The delegation includes ministers of foreign affairs, commerce and industries, finance, mines, agriculture, directors from Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) and Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA).

India’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) body, along with India and Afghanistan governments, is organising the investment meet.

The one-day conference is being held just weeks ahead of the Tokyo conference in July, where foreign governments would chalk out plans for Afghanistan’s development after 2014, when NATO forces leave the country.

CII said the prime objective of the conference was to bring investments into Afghanistan in areas like mining, hydrocarbons and infrastructure, and also in traditional sectors like agriculture, industry, capacity-building, health and services. 

In Delhi, experts and investors would deliberate on long term and short term investment potentials in the mineral resources rich country.

 vp

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