Conference helps Afghan business leaders compete for contracts

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

10.13.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – Businessmen and women in Helmand province recently attended an Afghan Business Conference in Lashkar Gah to learn how to partner with coalition forces and compete for development contracts.

This marks the fourth event organized by Peace Dividend Trust – a non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to local economic stabilization. The organization’s goal is to help partner local Afghan businesses with the coalition.

More than 200 businessmen and women came to the conference to compete for Afghan government and International Security Assistance Force contracts.

Irshad Ahmad, a local businessman, attended the event held at the provincial governor’s compound. He said the conference is important in more ways than one.

“The conference is a way, a platform for the connection between the local community and the international community,” he said.

The Peace Dividend Trust has helped facilitate multi-million dollar contracts for Helmand province – money that stays in Afghanistan.

“The coalition is basically stuck behind the wire which makes it very hard for local Afghan businesses to receive solicitations or a bid for tender,” said Leigh Ryan, Helmand field manager for Peace Dividend Trust. “PDT does the match making of that which means the Afghan businesses have the opportunity to bid on contracts that they were not able to do previously.

“In the last 18 months we’ve helped to generate $29,300,000 back into the Helmand economy,” added Ryan. “Now country-wide, it’s over $500 million; over half a billion dollars.”

Irshad provides an example of how the system can work. Last year his business generated $200,000 in revenue, but most importantly, he created jobs for Afghans.

“Last year I had a lot of projects and I employed more than 500 people all in Helmand province in different districts,” Ahmad said.

• Date Taken: 10.13.2010
• Date Posted: 10.13.2010 02:59
• Story ID: 57996
• Location: KABUL, AF