Afghan Marble Conference

Afghan Marble Conference Captures Investor Interest and Government Support

Kabul, Afghanistan | March 25, 2009 — On March 25, 2009, the Afghanistan Marble and Granite Processors Association (AMGPA) hold a breakthrough event to coordinate the development of Afghanistan’s emerging Marble industry. Private sector marble and stone firms, industry experts, international investors, government officials, and members of the media attended this landmark conference, held at the Serena Hotel, in Kabul.
Conference participants shared perspectives on and gain market information about development opportunities present in the marble sector in Afghanistan. While mining is an economic activity that has occurred in Afghanistan for thousands of years, the commercial development of the marble sector requires investment, legal/regulatory reform, training, and the cooperation of key stakeholders for its potential benefit to be realized by generations to come. The marble sector has the potential to generate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of revenue, providing a valuable product to domestic and international markets and increasing prosperity for Afghan communities.
Nationwide, there are over 60 known deposits of dimension stone, comprising 35 varieties, in over 40 colors, including fine-grained white marbles. Despite the presence of these significant mineral deposits, the mining sector has yet to realize its capacity to meet either domestic demand or the significantly larger medium and long-term demand of international markets.
This forum offered a venue for a public-private and national-international dialogue about creating a successful future for Afghan marble. The opportunities for investment and the resources available throughout the country presented. Key stakeholders discussed overcoming the remaining challenges such as legal and regulatory reform, the need for significant equity and debt investment, the need for training in modern extraction and processing techniques, and the need for improved power and transportation infrastructure.
Formed in 2006, currently with over 100 members, the AMGPA seeks to address these challenges, unifying its constituents and bringing others together to pave the way toward a thriving marble industry in Afghanistan.
This event was co-sponsored by the Afghanistan Marble and Granite Processors Association (AMGPA), the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Afghanistan Small and Medium Enterprise Development (ASMED) project. This USAID project works to strengthen Afghan business associations, in important economic sectors like marble, to act as effective private sector advocates for reform, driving economic growth and eradicating poverty. The participation and support of the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), the Export Promotion Agency of Afghanistan (EPAA), the US Embassy and the US Department of Commerce also contributed substantially to the event’s success.