A consultative meeting was held in Nangarhar by a supporting organization to discuss and find solutions to the challenges faced by small businesses in the region. The meeting focused on key issues such as electricity supply, marketing challenges, and access to financial resources. The goal was to assess the problems of traders and offer solutions through collaboration with relevant departments and organizations.
Shakerullah Stanikzai, Deputy Director of Industry and Commerce in Nangarhar, emphasized that the meeting aimed to present these concerns to the relevant authorities and find ways to resolve them. “In this meeting, issues related to electricity, marketing, and access to financial resources were discussed. Solutions will be sought for these issues, and the concerns will be presented to the relevant departments,” he stated.
The meeting, which saw participation from 120 traders, served as a platform for business owners to share their problems and suggestions. Naqibullah Durani, the organizer of the event, highlighted the importance of coordination among different stakeholders to address the challenges faced by traders. “Our goal is to bring these individuals together so that, through coordination, relevant institutions, banks, the private sector, and international organizations can discuss existing opportunities and challenges to find solutions. Additionally, small traders attending the meeting can meet with bank representatives and negotiate loans,” Durani explained.
Zakerullah Habibzai, a businessman who established a construction materials factory in Jalalabad nearly a decade ago, participated in the meeting to seek advice and explore new business opportunities. “Initially, we started producing a few types of construction materials, but over time, we managed to expand our production to 72 types. When launching this initiative, we thought about how we could create job opportunities for our fellow citizens while also promoting agricultural production in this area,” Habibzai shared.
Other traders also expressed the value of such consultative meetings for their business activities. “The development of small businesses and sharing challenges ahead are important topics for us,” stated Rafiqullah, another entrepreneur. “We can directly convey our voices to the authorities so they can find solutions to our problems,” said Abdul Jabbar Naizi, another participant.
In a bid to further support small businesses, the organizers invited representatives from the private sector to introduce Islamic financing options and facilitate loan access, offering new avenues for entrepreneurs to secure funding and expand their businesses.
For more updates on initiatives supporting small businesses in Afghanistan, visit www.u.af.
