INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

PROJ WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE MINIS OF COMMERCE (MOC) AND WILL FOCUS ON IMPROVING STAFF CAPABILITIES WITHIN 2 INSTITUTIONS SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED WITH INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT -- THE MOC"S OWN INVESTMENT COMMITTEE & THE INVESTMENT ADVISORY CENTER (IAC),ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIST & AN INVESTMENT CONSULTANT WILL ASSIST THE COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR THE APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT PROPOSALS. THEY WILL ALSO ENCOURAGE THE COMMITTEE TO DECREASE BUREAUCRATIC REGULATION OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THROUGH THE USE OF MARKET FORCES & GENERAL LAWS & REGULATIONS. THE INVESTMENT CONSULTANT WILL SPECIFICALLY SERVE AS TROUBLE-SHOOTER & AS A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO THE MINISTERIAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. SHORT-TERM CONSULTANTS WILL CONDUCT ANALYTIC STUDIES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE INDUS ECONOMIST. FIVE STUDIES WILL BE PRODUCED FROM THE FOLLOWING SUBJ AREAS: 1.SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF INDUS DEVEL ESP IN ITS RELATION TO MANPOWER DEVEL & INCOME DISTRIB; 2.DEFICIENCIES OF AFGHANISTAN"S COMMERCIAL & BANKING LAWS; 3.OPERATION OF THE MONEY BAZAAR(AN INFORMAL,EXTRA-LEGAL FINANCIAL INSTIT) & 4.ABILITY OF TRADITIONAL EXPORTS-RAISINS,DRIED FRUITS,KARAKUL & CARPETS-TO COMPETE IN TODAY"S MARKETS AND SEARCH FOR NEW INDUS OPPORTUNITIES. A FINANCIAL MGMT ADVISOR WILL WORK WITH THE IAC IN PROVIDING CONSULTANT SERVICES TO SMALL PRIVATE INVESTORS. A SENIOR INDUS ECONOMIST MAY BE ASSIGNED LATER IN THE PROJ TO ASSIST IN FURTHER ORGANIZING & DEVLPING IAC. USAID WILL ALSO PROVIDE OFFICE EQUIP & REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR A SMALL INDUS LIBRARY. PARTIC & IN-COUNTRY TRNG IS PLNND FOR KEY BUSINESSMEN & GOVT OFFICIALS. TWO 5-MEMBER OBSERVATION TEAMS WILL VISIT NEARBY COUNTRIES TO STUDY THEIR INDUS & GOVT PRACTICES. TOURS TO IRAN,PUERTO RICO & MEXICO ARE ALSO PLNND. TEN CANDIDATES WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE INTL MARKETING SEMINAR AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. ALSO, EXPERTS FROM IRAN,PAKISTAN & INDIA WILL CONDUCT A TOTAL OF 5 INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS IN AFGHANISTAN.