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RR RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBUL #4437/01 2711149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281149Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2860
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0205
RHMCSUU/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3014
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 004437 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, EB, EUR/ERA, EUR/RPM 
NSC FOR HARRIMAN 
OSD FOR BREZEZINSKI 
REL NATO/AUST/NZ/ISAF 
CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A, CG CJTF-76 
RELEASABLE TO NATO/NZ/AUSTRALIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON AF
SUBJECT: PRT BAMYAN: BAMYAN ECONOMIC INITIATIVES RECEIVE 
SUPPORT 
 
 
Summary 
-------- 
 
¶1. (U)  Bamyan,s Chamber of Commerce is making strides as 
private sector advocates, thanks to assistance and guidance 
from the Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC) 
and the Center for Private Enterprise (CIPE).  AICC, 
recognizing the Chamber,s potential even with its current 
weaknesses (difficulty translating its vision into an action 
plan), has agreed to open a local AICC office, possibly as 
early as November.  They have also offered to provide 
training in business development for women and high school 
students.  End Summary. 
 
Bamyan Chamber Evolves 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (U)  Over the last several months the Afghanistan 
International Chamber of Commerce (AICC) and the Center for 
Private Enterprise (CIPE) have been working with the Bamyan 
Chamber of Commerce to develop its skills as a private sector 
advocate.  In March 2006, CIPE explained to the Bamyan 
Chamber how it could help the Chamber develop expertise in 
strategic planning, business association development, and 
women,s enterprise development.  The AICC then organized a 
National Business Agenda meeting in Bamyan in April 2006, 
which brought together almost 200 civic and business leaders 
from Bamyan Province to gauge what matters most to them 
(Note: This was done in several provinces and the input was 
used to create the National Business Plan, which identifies 
common problems and suggests solutions for business people 
and the Central Government).  AICC thereafter held a 
three-day workshop at the end of May 2006 and gave the Bamyan 
Chamber advice on advocacy, strategic planning, membership 
development, marketing, and advocacy.  With that training 
under its belt, the Chamber decided to cast its lot with 
AICC, with the idea of creating a local chapter of AICC in 
Bamyan. 
 
¶3. (U)  On September 10, the AICC made a follow up visit to 
Bamyan to meet with the Bamyan Chamber of Commerce Board of 
Directors and together they decided to create a local chapter 
of the AICC.  The Board of the Bamyan Chamber of Commerce 
selected Ali Akber Eklaqi to be the interim chairman, Haji 
Mir Alam to be the interim vice-chairman, and the Bamyan 
Chamber of Commerce Chairman Haj Chaman Ali to be its 
Advisor.  They also selected a site for the new chapter and 
hope to have a formal opening in early November. 
 
Vision for the Future:  Women,s Business and High School 
Entrepreneurship 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶4. (U)  In addition to meeting with the Bamyan Chamber, 
Christina Grecu of CIPE met with Fatima Kazimeyan, Director 
of the Department of Women,s Affairs.  They discussed 
CIPE,s willingness to help establish an Afghan Business 
Women,s Association here in Bamyan. (Note: In Bamyan center 
there is currently only one female shopkeeper, but many women 
in the province are very active in handicraft production and 
rug weaving, both of which typically are done from home.) 
Grecu offered to return to Bamyan to explain to any 
interested women how such an association would benefit them. 
She also proposed arranging a training program for the women 
on how to prepare a business plan, market their goods and 
access customers.  Kazimeyan asked about other types of 
training and it was agreed that Grecu would provide her with 
a list of the different types of programs CIPE could offer. 
Kazimeyan agreed to examine the list and solicit input from 
the Bamyan women to identify programs of interest. 
 
¶5. (U)  The CIPE folks also met with the Bamyan Director of 
the Department of Education to discuss offering a program on 
entrepreneurship for high school students.  CIPE,s 
&Tashaboz8 program involves training teachers to teach 
 
KABUL 00004437  002 OF 002 
 
 
basic entrepreneurship concepts to students and put together 
entrepreneurship manuals.  The Director provided a letter of 
support for this program and two high schools in the province 
have made commitments to join the program.  The CIPE folks 
hope to bring a trainer from Kabul to instruct the Bamyan 
teachers and they hope to commence in November in order to 
complete the training before schools reopen in March. 
 
Comment 
-------- 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Continued support and guidance from AICC and CIPE 
is a most welcome development since it will be crucial in 
boosting the Chamber,s advancement of Bamyan,s nascent 
private sector while reining in unrealistic expectations of 
what the Chamber, and the province, can achieve in the short 
term.  Their offer to assist women and high school students 
in business development is also a wonderful opportunity for 
the province, since these two often overlooked groups are 
eager to acquire business skills. 
NORLAND