President Ashraf Ghani's Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish said on Sunday that security threats and bureaucracy are two major challenges in the way of Afghanistan's economic development.

Danish suggested that there is a need to bring about structural reforms in the trade laws and to establish a joint committee to address the issues facing the business community and trade sector in the country.

Danish made the remarks at a conference on ‘Justice, Good Governance and Sustainable Development' in Kabul on Sunday. This event was attended by high-level delegates from ministries.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MoCI) has said that kidnapping of businessmen, their family members, extortion, rising taxes, and problems with laws are among fundamental challenges faced by investors.

The gathering was also attended by officials from the Attorney General's Office (AGO), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of Economy (MoEc), Ministry of Interior (MoI) and representatives from the business sector.

"War, violence and insecurity are hampering economic development, unnecessary paper work and bureaucracy are also wasting time and are posing economic harm; thirdly administrative corruption is also one of the obstructions for economic development and investment," said Danish.

"Justice is a queen which moves society towards peace and paves the way for good governance and sustainable development; this helps investors and businessmen feel secure," said justice minister Sayed Yusuf Halim.

"The government can maintain security for investors and their families if it takes solid action against corruption, rights violations, land grabbing, waywardness and law breaking," said Attorney General Farid Hamidi at the event.

"Security is one of the major problems, because criminals are backed by powerful elements, when they go to the court, they contact them to release them, they even kill judges," said Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy head of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI).

Speaking at the event, CEO Abdullah Abdullah pledged that government is committed to addressing problems facing the business sector in the country.

"We will take solid action in this respect, there will be no compromise on it, although it happened in the past and you know that, if today there is a problem, you help us, you help the judicial institution and the attorney general and the police so that such issues are not repeated," said Abdullah.

The two-day conference which brought together officials from the Attorney General's Office (AGO), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of Economy (MoEc), Ministry of Interior (MoI) and representatives from the business sector will suggest their recommendations for facilitating businessmen through resolving their problems.

LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/6678

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