Netherlands exports to Afghanistan are still very modest.  Some companies have however discovered the country as an interesting export market.

The number of companies that is establishing branch offices in the country, with or without a local partner, is growing.  Is is not very difficult to register a company. This is done by AISA (Afghan Investment Support Agency).  Though local financing is in general not available, some local business partners do have their own resources. 

In 2007 two missions of the Dutch enterprise sector to Afghanistan took place, respectively in May (EZ/EVD/CBI) and October (VNO/NCW and other representatives of private sector associations).  This resulted, inter alia, in the VNO/NCW-led initiative to establish the ‘Afghanistan Economic Reconstruction Working Group’.  This working group is currently examining possibilities to intensify trade relations between both countries.  A new mission is foreseen for early 2008.

Other initiatives aiming at intensified private sector relations originate from the ‘Netherlands – Afghanistan Business Council’.  For more information see  www.handelsbevordering.nl.

To promote Dutch economic relatuions with Afghanistan, two subsidy programmes have been made available, PESP and PSOM.  Both programmes are implemented by the EVD (Economic Information Service) with funding from the Minister for Development Copoperation.  Information can be obtained from the EVD,  www.evd.nl.

The first activities have meanwhile been approved and more are expected.  The role of the Embassy is to give its advise on the applications, as well as to facilitate contacts with local partners. 

CBI, the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries, has opened its programmes for the promotion of imports from Afghanistan.

Information on doing business with Afghanistan can be obtained from, inter alia, the Netherlands – Afghanistan Business Council (part of NCH, the Netherlands Centre for Trade Promotion), through its project manager for Asia,  gdeboer@nchnl.nl.

In the Embassy, the section for Development Cooperation is in charge of commercial affairs,  kab@minbuza.nl.