DUSHANBE, June 23, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Entrepreneurs from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan are participating in a two-day Business To Business (B2B) conference that kicked off in Dushanbe today.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with the UNDP CO in Tajikistan, the Tajikistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the Kyrgyzstan Chamber of Commerce, and the Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industries to organize the event, which reportedly brought together entrepreneurs from the mentioned countries to explore business deals and investment opportunities in the four countries.

The forum organizers expressed hope that it will give a new impulse to development of trade between the four countries.

The forum participants expressed readiness for expansion of closer and more fruitful economic cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting, Tajik Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Ms. Gulrou Qayumova, noted that a good platform had been created for new ideas, cooperation and development of entrepreneurship.

She pointed to the necessity of development of private sector and noted that Tajikistan’s membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) gave an opportunity to tackle the problem of finding product markets and ensuring competiveness of goods and create transparent and predictable trade system that would meet international requirements.

Ms. Qayumova further added that the government of Tajikistan considered it necessary to adapt Tajikistan’s economy to requirements of the World Trade Organization and after that measures would be taken to carry out important reforms in the country.

For her part, the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Susan Elliott, noted that the United States was ready to assist to promote further expansion of economic relationships between Central Asia and South Asia.  “Regional stability depends on economic stability of the countries of the region,” Ms. Elliott noted.

Ambassador Elliott said, “There are tremendous untapped trade opportunities between Central Asia and South Asia from which all countries in the region can benefit. It is a win-win situation for all stakeholders.”

Speaking at the forum, representative of Afghanistan, Mr. Haseeb Rahimi, underlined significance of Tajikistan for Afghanistan in the region, especially for movement of its exports and imports.

“Afghan business community is ready for cooperation but there are some difficulties related to instable situation in Afghanistan,” Mr. Rahimi noted. 

According to the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, in addiiton to meeting business partners and negotiating deals, participants  will visit four facilities in Dushanbe to view the manufacturing of products in three sectors – construction materials, foodstuffs, and textiles.   They will also learn about multi-lateral trade and transit agreements that will help to ease trade among Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. The USAID Afghanistan Trade and Revenue Project is one of the many assistance projects made possible by the American people.   Since 1992, the American people have invested over $1 billion in programs and humanitarian aid to improve the standard of living for the people of Tajikistan through support to Tajikistan''s democratic institutions, health care, education, and economic growth.