National conference on Coordination between MoF, private sector held

KABUL (Kabul Time): The National Conference on the Coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Private Sector, chaired by Dr. Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, Acting Minister of Finance and Chief Advisor of the President on Infrastructure, was held at Intercontinental Hotel, a statement from the ministry said Monday.

Officials of ministries and sectorial departments, representatives of private sectors, national traders, members of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and other line offices participated in the event, the statement said.

“We tried to address the problems of private sector through the conference, and the major challenges that hamper the enforcement of trade and transportation laws in close coordination with the representatives of the private sector,” said Dr. Mohammad Humayon Qayoumi, Acting Minister of Finance in the opening remarks while welcoming the participants.

“The purpose is mainly to create the traders and industrialists with ease, to deliver standard services, to solve the problems, to bring transparency in the processes, to enforce the customs law and tariffs and prevent tax evasion,” he added.

“Ensuring coordination with private sectors will make it possible to implement customs tariffs through consultation with national traders and all sectors involved in private businesses in a better way and find effective solutions for the problems and betterment of activities. In return, we expect private sectors to work with Ministry of Finance in the areas of implementation of on customs tariffs law, transfer of cargo, preventing false declaration of goods and smuggling and providing original customs documents,” Dr. Qayoumi stated.

“Ministry of Public Works committed to work in the areas of establishing air and land transport facilities for export growth and called the private sector to cooperate in preventing the high tonnage of overloaded cargo on public roads,” said Eng. Abdul Rahman Salahi, Deputy Minister of Public Works for road maintenance.

Mr. Khan Jan Alokozay, Deputy Chairman of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mr. Shir Baz Kaminzada, Chairman of Chamber of Industries and Mines, Ms. Manizha Wafeq, President of Afghan Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry besides supporting coordination process with Ministry of Finance, addressed the traders and industrialists’ problems and called for more government attention.

At the end, a coordination commitment letter between Ministry of Finance and private sector was signed.