Iran to host moot on Afghan reconstruction

A tripartite moot on Afghanistan's reconstruction will begin on Saturday in the Iranian capital Tehran. The two-day meeting will focus on the importance of a regional approach to reconstruction efforts in the country.

"Cooperation between Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan is crucial if the humanitarian and economic challenges are to be met in Afghanistan," UNDP Resident Representative, Francesco Bastagli told IRIN from Tehran on Thursday.

Jointly conveyed by UNDP administrator, Mark Malloch Brown and the Iranian Economy and Finance Minister, Tahmasb Mazaheri, the finance ministers from the three countries will discuss Afghanistan's development vision with an eye to forging a formal partnership between their countries.

Indeed, speaking at news conference on Wednesday, Bastagli said the upcoming ministerial - level meeting on development and economic cooperation among the governments of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, would provide a much needed regional approach that was essential to the reconstruction effort.

"This meeting is about cooperation among equal trade partners. It is about trade and economic cooperation and not about giving out cash gifts," he explained

According to the UN official, the meeting will present the three governments with a unique opportunity to reinforce the historic ties that have existed between these countries, as well as a chance to sieze on economic and commercial opportunities that have arisen out of recent events in Afghanistan - a country devastated by over two decades of war.

Attending the meeting will be senior government officials, together representatives from the United Nations, the Economic Cooperation Bank, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Additionally, each of the three countries will bring up to 25 representatives from the private sector, chambers of commerce and public sector enterprises.

Emphasising the importance of the private sector at the conference, Bastagli said: "Private sector participation will be a driving force in the reconstruction."

Participants will consider ways to expand private sector collaboration, facilitate trade and commerce and define strategies for economic cooperation. Moreover, they are expected to discuss specific development challenges and opportunities in areas such as employment and refugee repatriation, supply of materials and consumer goods, rural development and crop substitution, access to markets and export promotion, communications and infrastructure.