Recap
Kabul City has a population of around 4.5 million people is one of the most polluted cities in Afghanistan. Due to the recent increase of the business travelers to Afghanistan there are an increased demand for quality accommodation, conference and business-related facilities in city. Kabul is the main business city serving major industries including: Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing, Electricity, Gas, and Water, Construction and more.
One of the speakers, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Afghanistan, Caecilia Wijgers, remarked that stability/security and Rule of Law are currently the main focus of the Embassy. However,there is great potential for further deepening of trade relations between our countries and private sector development in Afghanistan. Peace is an important condition for investment in Afghanistan’s untapped market. The Embassy is active in reaching out to entrepreneurs through its Orange Business network and the Bright Future program, focusing on young entrepreneurs. Events like this webinar are very useful in supporting this network.
Kabul is one of the cities that World Trade Center Leeuwarden has been given the opportunity to present its city as a Promising City for International Business. There are multiple opportunities for investments. The three most important are the Residential-commercial, Agriculture and Irrigation Sector and Energy Sector. In Kabul are 34 Industrial Parks over 18 Provinces equipped with infrastructures. There is already a broad international community in Kabul, companies such as Coca Cola, KPMG, Siemens, Mercedes and FedEx.
There are also cultural differences. Keep this is mind when negotiating. Another point of attention is the punctuality; start time and location of the meeting can change at the last minute and are less structured then in The Netherlands.
The Afghan society is conservative. It is important to wear a neat suit during businessmeetings as a man and wide clothing and a headscarf as a woman. It is nice to bring a gift when visiting a business partner, but never give alcohol. And when your Afghan business partner brings you a gift, don’t refuse it. Afghanistan has a rich culture and history, knowledge about it can make a good impression.
Want to know more about doing business in Kabul? Then take a look at the webinar below or contact us.
World Trade Center Leeuwarden supports companies with international ambitions and helps to professionalize export and import by offering knowledge and opening new markets by connecting with potential business partners through its global network.
Program
- Introduction by Mr. Evert Jan Schouwstra, WTC Leeuwarden
- Welcome remarks and presenting the region video by Mr. Abdul Qadir Bahman, Founder CEO of WTC Kabul Afghanistan
- Remarks by H.E. Caecilia Wijgers Ambassador of Netherlands in Kabul Afghanistan
- Remarks by Mr. Sayed Mahdi Alavi, Charge d’ Affairs of Afghanistan Embassy in the Netherlands
- Remarks by Mr. Ehsan Turabaz, President of Netherlands-Afghanistan Business Council (NABC) and Honorary Consul General of Afghanistan in The Netherlands
- Presentation about Afghanistan by Mr. Mahdi Mohammadi, Head of Investment Promotion, Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan:
– Business Opportunities for Dutch companies in the region – Cultural Differences
Q&A