Training 'Effective employers' organisation' for Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries

This training was organised bij ILO/ ITC and DECP on behalf of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Turin, from 10 – 13 November 2008.

The new Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI)  is the result of a recent merger between the old ACCI and the Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC). The ACCI is an independent, non governmental, non political and non-profit organisation of the Afghan business community, headquartered in Kabul and has 21 regional offices.

The initiative to train senior staff-members of ACCI, subsequent to the recent merger of the two former chambers, has been taken by the relevant ILO Sub-regional Office and was welcomed by the ACCI.

As from the first moment of asking, DECP supported this training as Afghanistan is one of the countries on DECP's country-list and eager to enter into a possible partnership with the most important employers' organisation in Afghanistan and last but not least, the Netherlands already have a specific presence in Afghanistan.  

The training counted 16 participants –3 women, 13 men- from the ACCI and its sectors such as the Afghanistan Exporter Association,  the Afghan Gem Stone Traders Association and the Afghan Women's Business Federation.

On behalf of DECP, the training was attended by Jan Karel Bout and Ronald de Leij. On behalf of ILO, Mr. Gotabaya Dasanayaka (ILO-SRO New Delhi) participated during the entire training and Mr. Alfredo Lazarte Hoyle (ILO- Crisis) attended the opening session.

The training, comprising the general  'Effective Employers Organisation' - programme of ILO/ITC-ACTEMP, was in the diligent hands of Arnout de Koster, programme manager and Jeanne Schmitt, activity manager.

A specific contribution was made by Mmr. Franklyn Amerasinghe, an outside consultant.

The EEO-training programme comprises such issues as:

• good governance: tools and good practices;
• membership: increasing and retaining;
• lobbying, advocacy and social dialogue: preparation, conducting, implementation, follow-up, measuring results;
• Services to members: importance of services, types of services, analysis, delivery and sustainability;
• Developing strategy: future perspectives and operational conclusions.

Also the participants themselves gave presentations on their activities, a.o. Mrs. Shakila Mohammadi from the Afghan Women's Business Federation, who gave a well prepared presentation with an impressive content and actively brought to the audience. Participants and experts had ample opportunity to exchange views and experiences on all of the issues mentioned above.

The ACCI-participants evaluated the training positively and above benchmark.

DECP evaluated the training as a start-off in building a relationship with ACCI. A first step for this has been set in Turin.