History and Biodata |
Afghanistan is due to implement the merger plan of the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.
The Administrative Office of the President (AOP) said the decision has been taken to merge the parallel administrations and based on the request of the private sector.
According to AOP, the merger of AISA will include two transition processes, including the transition of licensing to Ministry of Commerce and Industries and modification of trade and investment law.
Deputy Commerce and Industries Minister Bari Rahman has said the target of the plan is part of the government’s commitment to international community to merge the parallel administrations inside the government and demands by private sector to ease the process of issuing license and facilities for investments.(20160729)
BACKGROUNDER
(Source: Independent Joint Anti Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee
)
AISA’s ambiguous Legal Status and Lack of Accountability Lead to Mismanagement of Government Resources. The
Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) was created by the High Commission on Investment to support
the development of the private sector in Afghanistan.
Economic development is necessary to ensure that Afghanistan has a sustainable future without reliance on development aid .
The Law on Domestic and Foreign Private Investment in Afghanistanwas adopted in 2002 to encourage investment and
established the High Commission on Investment as the focal point for Government investment policy.
In 2004, AISA, also known as the Office of Private Investment was established within the framework of the
Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) to serve as the High Commission’s Secretariat and to implement the law’s
provisions.
MEC discovered that AISA asserts its independence as a limited liability corporation or alternatively as a Government
entity whichever is more advantageous. Furthermore AISA has not had to account to the Government for its income
and expenses and has not been audited by the Supreme Audit Office (SAO) since 2006.
The Ministry of Finance considers
AISA to be a Government budgetary unit due to its responsibility for public funds.
Nevertheless AISA has not fulfilled the requirements of a Government budgetary unit and, except in 2005 there has never
been an audit conducted by SAO.
Moreover, the 2005 audit revealed many deficiencies in the financial and accounting sections of AISA.
This lack of oversight has permitted AISA to spend money collected for public services on, among other things,
exorbitant salaries and other unnecessary expenses.
The lack of accountability has been justified on the ground that AISA is a limited liability company, as specified in the 2005 Law
on Private Investment (which replaced the 2002 law) but AISA does not even satisfy the accountability requirements for such
companies under Afghan law creating a significant accountability gap.
Names linked with AISA:
1. Former AISA Afghan Investment Support Agency President CEO:
Norullah Dilawari (20111126) was appointed and confirmed Head of Da Afghanistan Bank Central Bank of Afghanistan
Wafiullah Eftikhar Wafiullah Iftikhari Wafiullah Eftekhar Wafiullah Iftekhari(20120501, 20131009, 20141228) The head of the Afghan Investment Support Agency (AISA) Wafiullah Eftekhar resigned from his post and his resignation was accepted by President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.(20150331)
Ibrahim Shams, acting President AISA (20150401, 20150528)
Qurban Haqjo (20150708)
Management Team
Naseem Akbar
Vice President, Investment
BA, York University, Ontario, Canada with extensive experience in investment management and business development services. Mr. Akbar worked with Afghan, and Canadian institutions and businesses. His international business experience is an asset to the organization. Currently he is continuing Master of Science program in Economic development and Investment Promotion with Napier University in Scotland.
M. Sharif Roshan Ahmadzai
Vice President, Administration
BSC in Economics from Kabul University and BSC in Industrial Management from Institute of Industrial Management, Kabul. Mr. Ahmadzai has more than ten years of extensive experience in the field of economic development, Investment Management and financing & International Banking. He had also served as a Vice President of Agricultural Development Bank of Afghanistan and was previously member of Board of Directors for Afghanistan Insurance Authority, Banke Millie Afghan and Pashtany Bank.
Abdul Salam Zahed
Inter Ministerial Advisor
BSC from Kabul University along with certificates in foreign trade, market economics, marketing plan, economic administration and investment privatization. Mr. Zahed has several years of experience in trade and business information analysis. He has worked for 15 years for the Ministry of Commerce in various departments.
Ghulam Rabani Mansoori Ghulam Rabbani Mansori
Licensing Director
resigned 20120712
Master of Management and BBA from International Islamic University Malaysia, before becoming the Licensing Director. Mr. Mansoori served as Licensing Support and Regional Office Coordinator. Bedsides, Mr. Mansoori was working as an assistant manager in EBL global Sdn Bhd, Malaysia. He has natural talent and capacity that he can work efficiently and effectively for any International and domestic organization.
Dr. Rohullah Ahmadzai
Investment Promotion Director
resigned 20120712
Dr. Rohullah Ahmadzai is the director of Investment Promotion Department. He has obtained his MD from Kabul Medical University, Afghanistan. He has got extensive experience in the fields of Communications, Event Management, Public Relations and Investment Promotion, Marketing & Stakeholders’ Engagement and Private Sector development. Prior to joining AISA, Mr. Ahmadzai worked for a number of public and private sector organizations such as; Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan (EPAA), Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) & in the Economic & Political units of Tolo and Ariana Televisions, where he played a vital role in private sector development and in advocating for an investment & trade-friendly environment.
Baryalai Malyar,
Industrial Parks Promotion Director
resigned 20120712
Mohammad Omar Joya,
Research and Policymaking Director
resigned 20120712
Sulaiman Akbari,
Investment Support Deputy Director
resigned 20120712
Mir Taufiq Ansari,
Research and Policymaking Deputy Director
resigned 20120712
Abdul Ghafar Rasin,
Industries Advisor
resigned 20120712
The six high ranking officials at Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) resigned due to endemic corruption in the organization. The above reported the failure of the organization to increase investment due to massive corruption within the last two months at AISA. Meanwhile, Head of AISA, Wafiullah Eftekhar, rejects these allegations and call them baseless.(20120713)
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai has suspended the acting President Mohammad Ibrahim Shams and three Vice Presidents of the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA). A commission was also assigned to look into the corruption claims.(20150528)
Six high ranking officials at Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) and an Adviser resigned Thursday citing corruption in the organisation.(20120712) The officials claimed that since the appointment of the new general director Wafiullah Efthekar corruption has increased and previously dismissed personnel were appointed.
AISA Mission:
To create sustainable enterprise development particularly small and medium by providing quality services to investors, facilitating cross border partnerships, advocating business enabling measures & reforms and by promoting Afghanistan as an attractive business and investment destination proactively.
Background:
AISA began as an agency that provided licenses to companies wishing to invest in Afghanistan. AISA has now evolved into a pro-active institution in promoting and attracting investment to Afghanistan. To meet the objective of investment promotion we have restructured AISA as follows:
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Licensing Department: this department processes investment licenses and facilitates the necessary permits on behalf of investors and vis a vis other relevant Afghan government agencies. It continuously strives to improve processes and procedures and also supports set up and development of license preparation services at AISA's Regional Offices and this makes for proper communication, ensuring that AISA’s licensing rules and procedures are properly kept in all Regional Offices.
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Investment Promotion Department: this department organizes domestic and foreign conferences and exhibitions to promote investment and provides opportunities for “matchmaking” between companies and investors to proactively assist investors through the investment process. In addition, this department conducts media and information campaigns to promote investment initiatives, as well as provide information on government policies and regulations to promote a transparent investment environment.
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Research and Policy Department: this department serves to analyze private sector development issues, develop private sector strategies, complete sector-specific studies on business and investment opportunities, and engage in hands-on sector policy advocacy before the Parliament and Afghan government agencies.
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Investors’ Support Department: this department offers individual client services during the entire pre & post investment phase. Services include:
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provision of initial information and advice for foreign and domestic investors: market situation, legal framework, customs, taxation, insurance, availability of key inputs, support programs, investment incentives and opportunities;
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continuous contact to key investors (each investor support manager has “his”/”her” assigned clients to be assisted during the whole process: “one phase to the customer”);
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facilitating support to investor from other government or private bodies (e.g. private Business Development Services, chambers, donor projects);
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individual troubleshooting for investors
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close contacts/good relations to key government and other key agencies
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training of license holders on important topics (e.g. marketing, bidding procedures esp. for domestic SMEs)
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post investment support for key investors (e.g. on double taxation, legal advice, provision of contacts and information, troubleshooting, visa problems/services).
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Industrial Parks Development Department: the development of Industrial Parks is a very high priority given that the main constraints currently identified by investors are access to land and electricity. IPDD is responsible for the development as well as management of new and modern industrial parks. The Department is currently responsible for managing three USAID-funded industrial parks in Kabul, Mazar and Kandahar and overseeing the contraction of two more parks in Jalalabad and Kabul. IDPD is in the process of developing a regulatory and institutional framework and management plan to effectively coordinate the Industrial Parks development.
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Regional Offices: AISA's Regional Offices, in close cooperation with AISA’s Licensing Department in Kabul, prepare licensing documents for AISA headquarters to process. They contribute proactively to mainly domestic support and promotion activities and cooperate closely with the Investment Promotion and Investor Support Departments. They also establish very close cooperation with and support to local government institutions so as to facilitate investments regionally and also are responsible for informing the public on AISA’s activities and objectives. AISA has now regional offices in Herat, Kandahar, Mazari Sharif, Jalalabad, Khost, Kunduz and Helmand.
Regional Offices are open from Saturday to Thursday from 8:00am to 4:30pm and can be contacted as per below:
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Jalalabad
Mohammad Ibrahim Shams - Regional Manager
Email:shams(at)aisa.org.af
Mobile: 0797 11 10 00
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Herat:
Shafiq Ahmad – Regional Manager Herat
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Email: shafiq.ah@aisa.org.af
Mazar-i-Sharif:
M.Siddiq Muradi – Regional Manager Mazari Sharif
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Email: siddiq_muradi@aisa.org.af
Kandahar:
Hedayatullah Rahmati - Regional Manager Kandahar
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Email: hedayet.rahmati@aisa.org.af
Khost:
Mohammad Eisa Ahingar - Regional Manager Khost
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Email: eisa@aisa.org.af
Kunduz:
Sayed Ekramuddin – Regional Manager Kunduz
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Email: haress.seraj@aisa.org.af
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