Press Release
Date of Release: 15 November 2006
President Karzai Leaves for India to Attend the Second Regional
Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC)
Arg, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, left for the Republic of India this morning to attend the Second Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) on Afghanistan which will be held in New Delhi from 18 to 19 November 2006.
President Karzai of Afghanistan and Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India will jointly inaugurate the Conference on November 18, 2006.
The Conference will build on the work flowing from the RECC (Kabul) undertaken by the key stakeholders including neighboring countries, G-8 partners, UN and international financial institutions. In particular, it will follow-up on the themes identified at Kabul – (i) trade facilitation and transport (ii) investment trade and business potential (iii) electricity trade and energy development. Under electricity trade and energy development, there will be 2 new sub-themes of TAPI; and renewable sources of energy. It will also take up a new theme (iv) of agriculture and agro-development, as mandated in the Kabul Declaration. Capacity building will be a crosscutting issue in all the themes.
Concurrent the RECC, back-to-back business meetings will also be held, which will be organized by three apex Indian business chambers, namely Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), in association with Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA). A number of practical, commercial projects of regional relevance, which can act as a vehicle for private sector investment, will be presented. It is anticipated that the business meeting will encourage possibility of commercial advantage as well as strengthening of contacts with the private sector organizations of the region.
The President will address the conferences on the development of Afghanistan and the benefits of it to the region, economic development, energy, agriculture, regional cooperation on trade and investment and other regional issues.
During the visit, the President will hold meetings with H.E. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of the Republic of India, H.E. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and H.E. Sonia Gandhi, Leader of India’s Congress Party, to discuss bilateral relations, the security situation in the region, and other issues of mutual interest.
H.E. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of the Republic of India, will present the Indira Gandhi Peace Award to President Karzai during a special ceremony.
The Indira Gandhi Peace Award is an annual award bestowed by the Religious Society of Friends-affiliated organization Promoting Enduring Peace for "contributions made in the promotion of international peace and good will and it is named in honour of Mahatma Gandhi.
The President is accompanied on this trip by H.E. Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Dr. Zalmai Rasoul, National Security Advisor, H.E. Muhammad Ismail, Minister of Water and Energy, H.E. Obaidullah Ramin, Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Muhammad Ishaq Naderi, Advisor to the President on Economics, and H.E. Jawed Ludin, Chief of Staff to the President.
For more information on the RECC, please visit the website on the conference:
http://meaindia.nic.in/srec/mystart.htm
