aacc symposium "afghanistan as hub: the role of transport & logistics"

Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC)

1st in a Series Symposium

with

Networking Opportunities & Reception

"Afghanistan as Hub: The Role of Transport, Logistics

& Critical Infrastructure"

April 18, 2013

The Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City Salon Two (2)

1250 South Hayes Street, Arlington, Virginia 22202, U.S.A.

AGENDA

1:30 - 1:45 pm Registration

Welcoming Remarks: Mr. Sulaiman Lutfi, Chairman of the Board, AACC Hon. Don Ritter, Sc. D., President & CEO, AACC

1:45 - 2:00 Keynote Address: His Excellency, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, Minister of Finance, Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

2:00 - 2:45 Panel 1: Ground: Automotive & Rail Transport in Afghanistan

Moderator: Mr. Adib Farhadi, JHU-SAIS Visiting Scholar; Ex- Dep. Min. of Comm.’ Ex-Exec. Dir., ANDS, GIRoA

LTG Ret’d. Robert Dail, President, Supreme Group U.S.A.

Mr. Abdul W Qargha, Business Development, Operations, UniTrans International, Inc.

Mr. Abdul Wahab Kefayat, Chief Executive Officer, Kefayat General Trading Co.

Col. Emily A. Buckman, LLC Division Chief, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), USAF

Col. Ret’d Ted Hodgson, Former Senior Logistics Director, The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM)

2:45 - 3:30 Panel 2: Air Transport in Afghanistan

Moderator: Mr. Robert Rottman, Deputy Director, International Affairs, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

Mr. Keiichiro Nakazawa, Chief Rep., USA Office, Japan Int’l. Coop. Agency (JICA)

Mr. Zamari Kamgar, Chairman and Founder, Kam Air

Mr. Ghulam Hazrat Safi, Chairman, Safi Airways

3:30 - 3:45 Signing Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation

Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and Afghan Business Center (ABC Moscow)

Introduction by: Mr. Haji Hossain Fahim, Chairman, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI) and Mr. Mohammad Qurban Haqjo, Chief Executive Officer, Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI)

Coffee/Tea Break and Networking Opportunities


8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 103 | McLean, VA 22102 USA | Tel: 703.442.5005 Fax: 703.442.5008 | www.a-acc.org

Agenda – Page 2

AACC Symposium and Networking Opportunities & Reception "Afghanistan as Hub: The Role of Transport, Logistics & Critical Infrastructure" | April 18, 2013, U.S.A.

3:45 - 4:00 Keynote: Honorable Robert O. Blake, Jr., Ass’t Secretary for South & Central Asia, State

Dep’t.

4:00 - 5:00 Panel 3: Critical Infrastructure

Moderator: Mr. Mohan Singh, P.E., Board, AACC; VP- Fed’l., Michael Baker Jr. Corp.

Mr. Gordon W. Weynand, Director, Technical Services Div., Office of Af/ Pak Affairs, USAID

Mr. Joji Tokeshi, Resident Director, Kabul, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Mr. Leonard E. Kotkiewicz, Chief, International and Interagency Support Branch, USACE

Mr. Michael Stanley, Program Manager, Oil, Gas & Mining, The World Bank

Mr. Sayed ‘Aziz’ Azimi, President & Chief Executive Officer, Technologists Inc.

Col. (R) Gaylerd E. "Sandy" Davis, Executive Director, Business Development, Fluor Corporation

5:00 - 6:00 Panel 4: ‘Hub’ Policy Discussion Moderator: Mr. Daniel Feldman, Deputy to the Special Rep. - Afghanistan/Pakistan (SRAP)

Mr. ‘J’ Alexander (Alex) Thier, Director, Office of Af/ Pak Affairs, USAID

Mr. Joji Tokeshi, Resident Director, Kabul, the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Mr. John Andersen, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce

Ms. Julie Abraham, Director, Office of International Transportation and Trade, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

6:00 Networking Opportunities & Reception




1st in a Series Symposium with Networking Opportunities & Reception

Afghanistan as Hub:

The Role of Transport, Logistics & Critical Infrastructure Thursday, April 18, 2013 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM The Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City Salon Two (2) 1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, Virginia 22202, U.S.A.

SPEAKERS’ BIOGRAPHY

In order of alphabet

Speakers’ Biography Page 1 of 9


Julie Abraham Director, Office of International Transportation and Trade, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

Julie Abraham is the Director of the Office of International Transportation and Trade in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. In this position, Ms. Abraham oversees the Department’s multimodal international policy and trade promotion activities, manages international technical assistance programs, and represents the Department in bilateral and multilateral international transportation and trade meetings.

From December 2003 until October 2009, Ms. Abraham served as the Director of International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In that position, she was responsible for the Department’s domestic regulatory activities in the areas of automobile fuel economy, consumer labeling and theft prevention. Specifically, she led efforts to reform the structure and standard setting methodology for the 30-year old fuel economy regulatory program, thereby facilitating the establishment of significantly higher standards.

Ms. Abraham also led NHTSA’s activities relating to the global harmonization of motor vehicle safety regulations and negotiated an agreement for the harmonization of vehicle regulations under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). She has also served as either head or member of U.S. delegations to several international forums, e.g., UNECE, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Transportation Working Group (APEC TPTWG), and North America Free Trade Agreement Automotive Standards Council (NAFTA ASC). She has chaired or co-chaired executive committees or technical working groups under both the UNECE and NAFTA ASC. She has also represented the Department at bilateral and multilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiations on technical barriers to trade.

From October 2009 until November 2010, Ms. Abraham served as the Secretary of Transportation’s representative to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. As the Transportation Counselor, she provided executive leadership to a team of experts from the Departments of Transportation and State, and the U.S. military and locally employed Iraqi staff in assisting the Iraqi Ministries of Transportation and of Housing and Construction to build capacity in all modes of transportation (aviation, maritime, rail, roads and bridges). She also worked closely with the Prime Minister’s Office and other Iraqi ministries, such as the Ministries of Defense, Interior, Oil, and Finance and with the United Nations, the World Bank and other governments on transportation-related issues that would promote safety and security at all ports of entry, and facilitate Iraq’s economic development and reintegration into the international community.

Ms. Abraham earned her Masters of Science in Bioengineering from the University of Michigan and her Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Wayne State University. She speaks English, Arabic, and French.

John M. Andersen Deputy Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration

Mr. Andersen is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance. He is responsible for all market access and commercial issues dealing with U.S. trading partners. As DAS for MAC, Mr. Andersen manages an organization with approximately 211 employees and a budget in excess of $42 million. Mr. Andersen was previously Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the International Trade Administration where he was responsible for all market access and commercial issues dealing with the Western Hemisphere. He has been involved in a number of major international and bilateral negotiations, including the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, and Free Trade Negotiations with Canada, Chile, Central America and the Dominican Republic, Peru, Colombia and Panama. He was a key member of the President’s Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba.

He recently served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for AD/CVD Operations in ITA’s Import Administration where he was responsible for implementing and enforcing U.S. trade enforcement provisions. As Acting DAS, he managed an organization with approximately 175 employees and an annual budget in excess of $20 million. In 2005, Mr. Andersen served on detail to the Department of State, Office of Summit Coordination where, as a member of the 2005 Summit of the Americas Team, he negotiated key elements of the Summit Plan of Action.





He has received three Department of Commerce Silver Medals, the Department’s second highest honor. Mr. Andersen has a Masters of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas at Austin and a BA in history from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Sayed “Aziz” Azimi President & CEO, Technologists Inc.

Sayed ‘Aziz’ Azimi is President and Chief Executive Officer of Technologists, Inc. (Ti), an international engineering, management, and construction company he founded in 1999.

Mr. Azimi has consulted clients like the U.S. Department of Energy by conducting energy-efficiency studies in a variety of industries, and by evaluating newly emerging technologies in this field. For the U.S. Agency for International Development, he designed and conducted training programs for visiting engineers and architects to transfer Western best practices to developing countries and conducted training programs in Indonesia, Ghana, and Mexico.

In 1999 Mr. Azimi founded Technologists, Inc. (Ti), initially as an information-technology company that provided energy-efficiency and operations and management services to federal government agencies in Washington D.C. In 2004 Mr. Azimi launched Ti’s Afghanistan operations by building three industrial parks support by USAID that continue to serve as successful commercial ventures and business incubators. Ti has grown to be one of the most successful and well respected contractors in Afghanistan through its work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USAID and other clients. Ti has designed and built more than 50 significant projects, running the full spectrum of vertical and horizontal structures.

The Honorable Robert O. Blake, Jr. Assistant Secretary for South & Central Asia, U.S. Department of State

Mr. Blake was appointed Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs in May 2009. As Assistant Secretary, he oversees U.S. foreign policy with India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. He previously served as Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives from 2006 to mid-2009 and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission in New Delhi, India from 2003 – 2006. Since he entered the Foreign Service in 1985, he has served at the American Embassies in Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt. He has also held a number of positions at the State Department in Washington, including Senior Desk Officer for Turkey; Deputy Executive Secretary; and Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs.

Mr. Blake earned a B.A. from Harvard College in 1980 and an M.A. in international relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1984. He is married to Sofia Blake, with whom he has three daughters.

Col. Emily A. Buckman LLC Division Chief, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA); United States Air Force (USAF)

Colonel Emily Buckman is Chief, DLA-TRANSCOM (DLA-T) Support Division, Logistics Operations, Headquarters Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In this capacity, Colonel Buckman oversees and supervises all aspects of DLA’s strategic partnership with USTRANSCOM, including coordinating and providing guidance and direction for DLA distribution planning and distribution operations. Immediately prior to her current assignment, Colonel Buckman served in Afghanistan as the Senior Logistics Advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Interior.

Born in Buffalo, NY, Colonel Buckman was commissioned in 1988 upon graduation from the US Air Force Academy. A core logistics readiness officer, she has served as a transportation squadron commander at McGuire AFB and as the Mission Support Group Commander at Peterson AFB where her 2,200-member group provided civil engineering, communications, contracting, logistics, personnel, security, and services support to a workforce of over 4,800 personnel and their squadrons operating worldwide to execute missile warning and space control missions. She has also served in a variety of other assignments, including chief of wing quality at the 1st Fighter Wing, chief of flightline protocol operations at Andrews AFB, Secretary of the Air Force congressional liaison officer, and as a deputy group commander in operational test. In the fall of 2006, she served as the Director of Logistics (J4) for Joint Task Force 134 (Detainee Operations), Multi-National Force-Iraq.



http://www.a-acc.org/



Educations: Bachelor of Science, United States Air Force Academy; Master of Science in Military Arts and Sciences, Air Command and Staff College; Master of Science in Administrative Management, Central Michigan University; Master of Science in Strategic Studies, Air War College and more.

LTG (Ret’d) Robert T. Dail, U.S. Army President, Supreme Group U.S.A., LLC

Robert T. Dail retired in November 2008 after serving 33 years in the United States Army. At retirement, he was the senior military logistics professional in the Department of Defense. General Dail’s last tour on active duty was as the 15th Director of the Defense Logistics Agency. He assumed this position in August 2006. The Defense Logistics Agency, headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, provides the full range of logistics, acquisition, and technical services to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and other federal agencies.

Prior to serving at DLA, General Dail served as the Deputy Commander, United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base (USTRANSCOM), Illinois. USTRANSCOM is a Unified Command reporting to the Secretary of Defense, executing the nation’s global defense transportation system with components from the Army, Navy and Air Force.

During his military career, General Dail commanded and led logistics and transportation units from the platoon to national level; across the full range of Army combat and joint operational capabilities. He also had extensive experience in strategic level logistics. In March 2009, he joined Supreme Group Inc. a global logistics services company headquartered in The Netherlands with 2011 revenues of $5.7B. General Dail serves as President, Supreme Group USA, LLC, located in the Reston Town Center, Reston, Virginia. In addition to his work with Supreme Group, General Dail serves as a member of the Board of Directors, LMI Government Consulting, McLean, Virginia; serves as a member of the Board of Directors, iDirect Government Technologies, Fairfax, Virginia; and serves as a member of the Board of Advisors, ADS Technologies Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia. General Dail currently resides in Leesburg, Virginia.

Col (R) Gaylerd E. "Sandy" Davis Executive Director, Business Development, Fluor Corporation

Sandy Davis has over 45 years of national and international experience in organizational management, engineering, business development, contracting, and government relations. He has extensive knowledge of Department of Defense operations, policies and programs developed during his tenure of over 27 years as a commissioned officer with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). He currently leads global US Army business development for the Fluor Corporation with specific focus on the construction and services markets in the Mid-East, Europe and the Pacific Rim. Mr. Davis holds a Master of Science in Construction Management from Boston University, a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering from Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, and is a registered professional engineer.

Haji Hossain Fahim Chairman, Afghanistan-Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI)

Mr. Fahim started his business and trade activities in 1986 as a gems merchant in Afghanistan and abroad. In 1992, he registered as an individual trader with the Ministry of Commerce of Afghanistan and began exporting carpets, dried fruits, Qaraqul, gems and jewelries. In 1996, he established the Zahed Walid Company under the license of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Afghanistan and began to import machinery and equipment, including vehicles and construction materials.

In 2002, he registered the Zahid Walid Company with AISA in order to contribute to the rehabilitation of Afghanistan by implementing infrastructure projects, constructing multistory buildings and other structures for ISAF and NATO throughout Afghanistan. In order to develop a fuel supply business, he also registered Zahid Walid Oil Company with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries. This company has played a major role in supplying fuels for different government and non-government agencies including the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the National Security Department, and the Ministry of Public Health. The Zahid Walid Group is one of the biggest and best-equipped companies in the country. Mr. Fahim then established the Gas Group of Companies in 2007, now the most prominent gas supply company in Afghanistan. Then in 2009, Mr. Fahim established the Metal Group Company, which processes and trades in precious and semi-precious stones. Recently he was elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACCI, as 60,000 members in 21 provinces of Afghanistan voted to elect their representatives.

Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 103 | McLean, VA 22102 USA | Tel: 703.442.5005 Fax: 703.442.5008 | www.a-acc.org




Adib Farhadi Visiting Scholar, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University; Ex- Deputy Minister of Commerce, GIRoA; Ex-Executive Director, Afghanistan National Development Strategy, GIRoA

Adib Farhadi has over fifteen years of high-level international experience working with governments, multilateral agencies and the private sector. He has held progressively higher levels of responsibility in a variety of organizations, utilizing strong conceptual, managerial and people skills. Mr. Farhadi has served in a number of senior economic and diplomatic positions for the Afghan Government in which involved United Nations, WTO, IMF, and World Bank. In his recent role as a Senior Economic Advisor at Afghanistan Pakistan Center of Excellence, he served as the New Silk Road Initiative liaison to the US Department of State, USAID and other agencies. The Initiative aims to better integrate Afghanistan with the regional and global economies.

As Deputy Minister of Commerce (June 2008 – March 2010), he served as the Government of Afghanistan’s Chief Trade Negotiator for WTO accession, as well as for the 2010 Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit and Trade Agreement.

Mr. Farhadi has also served as the Executive Director of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and head of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board Secretariat, where he maintained responsibility for aid coordination and procurement in Afghanistan. Served as an economic adviser to the Office of H.E. President Hamid Karzai, and was recognized by the United Nations for his efforts to champion the UN Millennium Development Goals in Afghanistan.

Mr. Farhadi received his Master’s Degree from New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree from East Carolina University.

Daniel Feldman Deputy, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP)

Dan Feldman is one of two Deputies to the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He previously served as a partner in the international Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") group at the law firm Foley Hoag LLP, the only CSR legal practice in the U.S. His previous government experience includes serving as Director of Multilateral and Humanitarian Affairs at the National Security Council in the Clinton Administration, where he was responsible for global human rights issues, and as Counsel and Communications Adviser to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He acted as Senior Foreign Policy and National Security Advisor to the Kerry presidential campaign in 2004, and also as communications advisor to the Gore campaign in 2000. He helped to found, and subsequently served on the board of, the National Security Network. He has been appointed a White House Fellow and a Henry Luce Scholar, and was a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and on the South African Supreme (Constitutional) Court. He is a graduate of Tufts University, Columbia Law School, and Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School.

Mohammad Qurban Haqjo Chief Executive Officer, Afghanistan-Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI)

Born into a trading family in 1977, Mr. Mohammad Qurban Haqjo completed his primary education in his hometown, Puli Khumri, Baghlan Province, and then graduated from the Political Science faculty of Balkh University. After graduation he started a private business in Russia, but soon moved to Germany where he completed studies in International Business relations and then worked as an instructor in computer and Internet technologies. Returning to Afghanistan, he worked with the Chamber Reform Committee of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), playing an important role in the merger of ACCI and the Afghanistan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC).

After completion of merger process, Mr. Haqjo helped manage the reform process at regional level and facilitated national chamber elections. In mid-2008, he was elected Chief Executive Officer of the newly combined chambers. He promotes ACCI as an independent legal entity, a non-political and non-profit organization of the Afghan business community, protecting the rights of the private sector and supporting the business activities of its members at national and international levels.

Fluent in German, Russian and English, Mr. Haqjo has also worked as a legal advisor on different projects funded by European Union in Afghanistan as well with Embassy of Italy in Kabul.





Abdul Wahab Kefayat Chief Executive Officer, Kefayat General Trading Co.

Mr. Abdul Wahab Kefayet serves as the CEO of Kefayat General Trading Co., headquartered in n Middle-East’s commercial hub Dubai. He also serves as the treasurer of the Afghan Business Council in Dubai (ABC-Dubai).

Zamari Kamgar Chairman and Founder, Kam Air

Mr. Zamari Kamgar serves as the Chairman of Kam Air. The airline was founded on August 31, 2003 by Mr. Kamgar and was the first privately owned passenger airline in Afghanistan. Currently Kam Air operates domestic and international flights.

Mr. Kamgar has been engaged in family business of trading in petroleum products, import and export of commodities since last 20 years. Mr. Kamgar serves as the Chairman of Kam Group of Companies including Kam Construction, established in 2002; Kam Trading, established more than 20 years ago; Kam International Oil, the first oil refinery in Afghanistan; Kam Logistics, started in 2009; Kam Travel & Tourism, formed in 2007 and Kam Foundation, a welfare foundation established in 2005.

In 2012, Mr. Zamari Kamgar received AACC’s first ever, Award for Performance Excellence and Support for AACC. This award was given to Mr. Zamari by Board of Directors of AACC, during its 8th Annual U.S.-Afghanistan Business Matchmaking Conference 2012, held from December 2nd to 4th, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Mr. Kamgar speaks Dari, Russian, Uzbeki and Turkish.

Leonard E. Kotkiewicz Chief, International and Interagency Support Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

Mr. Leonard (Lenny) Kotkiewicz is the Chief, International and Interagency Support Branch for the US Army Corps of Engineers. In that role, he is responsible for leading the support the Corps’ customers outside of the Department of Defense.

Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Kotkiewicz was the Chief of the Corps’ Security Assistance Branch, leading the Foreign Military Sales activities of the agency. Mr Kotkiewicz has also served as the Deputy Chief of the Corps of Engineers’ Office of Homeland Security. Concurrently, he was the Acting Chief of the Corps’ Risk Management Division. He was responsible for assuring that the Corps is capable of responding to disasters, on their own authority and in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Department of Defense. His risk management duties included developing and executing improved strategies for reducing risk at Corps infrastructure and applying those strategies across the Department of Defense and the other infrastructure that the Corps supports.

Sulaiman Lutfi Chairman of the Board, Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC)

Sulaiman Lutfi is the current Chairman of the Board for the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) and a Member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. As one of the founding members, he has helped develop the brand of AACC and supported the marketing efforts of the organization, since its inception. He was one of the key planners in organizing AACC’s Annual Business Matchmaking Conferences by securing sponsors, promoting the conference and handling public relations and media efforts.

Sulaiman Lutfi has over 20 years of experience in marketing and media communications. As an Afghan-American business owner of TriVision Studios, he has helped start a successful marketing and global media business with offices in the United States and Afghanistan. TriVision Studios is an award-winning, full service agency that develops innovative strategies to achieve powerful and creative marketing, entertainment and media campaigns for its clients. TriVision manages cross-platform advertising and integrated communication programs for a diverse group of clients, ranging from start-up companies to government agencies to some of the world's leading multi-national organizations.





Keiichiro Nakazawa Chief Rep., USA Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Keiichiro Nakazawa currently serves as the Chief Representative of the U.S. office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He came to this position in late spring of 2010 after serving for two years as the Director of JICA’s Operations Strategy Department, where he led the development of JICA’s new operational policies. Prior to this role, Mr. Nakazawa had a 20-year-long career at the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan (OECF), where he mainly focused on loan operations in Asia. Between 1991 and 1994, Mr. Nakazawa served as the OECF Representative in New Delhi, India.

Mr. Nakazawa won a World Bank Graduate Scholarship to study at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Public Policy in 1991. He was a visiting lecturer at Tokyo University and Aoyama Gakuin University, both in Japan, in the early 2000s and lectured on Development Economics, with particular focus on Asian economics. Since 2002, Mr. Nakazawa has served as an advisor on management for many small to medium sized enterprises.

Abdul W Qargha Business Development-Operations, UniTrans International, Inc.

Mr. Abdul W. Qargha has 15 years’ of experience in domestic and international transportation and logistics. Mr. Qargha, with a bachelor’s degree in logistics from the University of North Florida, is now a Business Development and Operations Associate at UniTrans International, Inc. At UniTrans, Mr. Qargha is responsible for determining supply chain strategies for both government and commercial multi-billion dollar contracts. Mr. Qargha has assisted as a Subject Matter Expert for proposals, traveled as a Sales Representative to meet potential customers worldwide and has acted as a Grounds-Man to physically go and receive cargo at the border of Afghanistan. In addition, Mr. Qargha has been stationed in Dubai, UAE and Kabul, Afghanistan to mobilize and sustain long-term operations for namely the Department of Defense and State Department transportation projects. Mr. Qargha has also worked for companies within the industry such as Landstar, Iron Mountain and Elite Procurement and Logistics.

The Honorable Don Ritter, Sc. D. President & CEO, Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC)

The Honorable Don Ritter, holder of an engineering doctorate from MIT, is a founder and the current President and CEO of the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC). Since 2002, he has worked full time on Afghanistan and has been back to the country 32 times. Dr. Ritter served 7 terms, 1979 to 1993, in the U.S. Congress, and has a more than 30 year history in Afghanistan. During the Soviet occupation, Don was the author of key Material Assistance legislation and founding Chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Afghanistan. In the 1990’s, Don was founding chairman of the Afghanistan Foundation. Since 9-11, Dr. Ritter was a major architect of the Afghan International Chamber of Commerce (AICC), the first independent, free-market oriented Chamber in the history of Afghanistan and precursor to the current national Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). From 2004 to the present, Don has been an active partner/investor in a number of Afghan businesses.

Robert Rottman Deputy Director, International Affairs, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

Rob Rottman joined the Federal Aviation Administration in June 2012 as the Deputy Executive Director for the Office of International Affairs. In his current role he provides leadership of the agency's international programs for harmonization of global standards, technical assistance, training, and infrastructure planning. He oversees the FAA’s cadre of senior representatives stationed abroad and strengthening FAA's relationships with the global aviation community. Prior to this he served as a senior homeland security and transportation expert for Deloitte Consulting charged with delivering strategic planning, operational assistance, and consulting services to the federal government. From 2003 to 2011 he served with the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration. He held a variety of positions including TSA’s Director of International Operations. In this role he managed TSA’s Transportation Security Representatives (TSARs) and Transportation Security Inspectors deployed abroad.





In addition, Mr. Rottman oversaw TSA’s Capacity Development efforts which provided aviation training and assistance to enhance security at locations around the world.

In his previous positions with DHS/TSA, Mr. Rottman worked in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Deputy Director for Transportation, Cargo, and Infrastructure Policy where he was responsible for all aspects of policy development for surface and aviation modes of transportation for DHS and its component agencies. He also served as TSA’s General Manager for General Aviation where he was responsible for regulatory oversight of over 700 aircraft operators, 5500 airports, and 600000 pilots as well as management of airspace security issues.

Prior to joining DHS, Mr. Rottman was an aviation consultant as well as a representative with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He holds a degree in Aviation Management from Florida Tech and is a licensed pilot.

Ghulam Hazrat Safi Chairman, Safi Airways

Mr. Ghulam Hazrat Safi is the Chairman of a privately owned international conglomerate Safi Group of Companies based in UAE and Afghanistan. The group of companies was established 40 years ago in the international business arena. Today Safi group of companies are leaders in the steel industry and commodities in Afghanistan. Under Mr. Safi’s leadership the company has invested in human capital and infrastructure development with his vision of becoming market leaders in the Central Asian Region and is regarded as being the best in Afghanistan - best in the manner it is operated, best in the products delivered and best in ethics.

Mr. Safi is an entrepreneur with vision and works tireless in the day to day operations of the group. He is an avid traveler and true professional with a deep inspiration for his country and commitment to its people. Safi group of companies inculcates business ethics and fosters young Afghan youth for self-development contributing to enhancing the competitiveness through training and education. Mr. Ghulam has been recognized and awarded the Best Businessman in Afghanistan for the last couple of years by the Government of Afghanistan for his continuing contribution in the rebuilding effort.

Mohan Singh, P.E. Board of Directors, Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce (AACC); Vice President-Federal, Michael Baker Jr., Inc.; Ex-USACE Senior Executive Service

Mohan Singh in his current position is responsible for growing the Defense, Homeland Security and the international programs for Michael Baker Jr. Inc. He joined Michael Baker after 33 years of service to the US Corps of Engineers and nine years of service in private sector. He was formerly the Chief of Interagency and International Services at Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). As a member of the Senior Executive Service from 2000-2011, he was responsible for managing annual design and construction program over $6.5B. Programs were national and international in scope to include two theaters of war. Diverse programs included Civil Works, Environmental, Military and Emergency Management business lines.

Prior to his position at Head Quarters USACE he served as the Director of Regional Business and Director of Military Programs and Technical Services at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division in New York. He provided strategic leadership in transforming the regional business center. He provided regional oversight executive direction over the North Atlantic Division’s $2.5 billion annual program executed by six districts and approximately 4,000 personnel. He was also responsible for the Regional Career Program Management for engineers and scientists in the profession.

Mr. Singh holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from India. He has trained at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Federal Executive Institute, Brookings Institution, and Center for Creative Leadership and Darden School of Business in executive management.

Mr. Singh is a registered professional engineer in the state of Pennsylvania and serves on the Board of directors of Afghan American Chamber Of Commerce.






Michael Stanley Program Manager, Oil, Gas & Mining, The World Bank Group

Michael Stanley is Sector Lead - Mining with the World Bank Group, Washington D.C.; currently serving as Coordinator for hydrocarbon and mining sector development in the South Asia and East Asia Pacific regions. He has a broad, global experience in mineral exploration and development over a twenty eight year career within the private sector and with the World Bank Group.

Michael began his engagement with the World Bank in 2003 continuing his policy focus; and served as the first program manager of the World Bank Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EI TAF), supporting governments to build capacity to negotiate large mining and hydrocarbon development agreements. The EI TAF fund has since supported capacity building for oil, gas and mining transactions in Africa, South Asia, East Asia Pacific and Latin America.

Within the World Bank Group Michael previously managed projects in Eastern Europe / Central Asia and Africa regions, and currently maintains a portfolio of technical assistance projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Africa. In Afghanistan, he is the Task Team Leader for two technical assistance projects (Sustainable Development of Natural Resources 1 and 2), a $92 million package of assistance to the Ministry of Mines; and has been deeply engaged there since 2003.

Michael holds degrees in Geoscience (H.BSc.), Mineral Exploration (M.Sc.), and Mineral Economics / Mining (Ph.D.). He has a strong record of public service and in 1999 was inducted into the American Red Cross Clara Barton Society in recognition of his meritorious contributions.

‘J’ Alexander (Alex) Thier Assistant to the Administrator and Director, Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

In June 2010, J Alexander Thier was sworn in as Assistant to the Administrator and Director for the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Prior to joining USAID, Thier served as Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) and chair of the Institute’s Afghanistan and Pakistan Working Groups. At USIP, Thier co-authored The Future of Afghanistan (2009) in addition to co-authoring the final report of the Afghanistan Working Group, chaired by General James Jones, and the 2008 report of the Pakistan Working Group, The Next Chapter: The United States and Pakistan. Thier also served USIP as Senior Adviser to the Rule of Law Center for Innovation, where he focused on building up USIP’s rule of law program in Afghanistan and as a principal staffer on the Genocide Prevention Task Force.

Thier has also worked as Director of the Project on Failed States at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. From 2002 to 2004, Thier was legal adviser to Afghanistan’s Constitutional and Judicial Reform Commissions in Kabul, where he assisted in the development of a new constitution and judicial system.

From 1993 to 1996, Thier worked as a U.N. and NGO official in Afghanistan and Pakistan during the country’s civil war, where he was the officer-in-charge of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan in Kabul. He received the Richard S. Goldsmith award for outstanding work on dispute resolution from Stanford University in 2000.

He has a J.D from Stanford Law School, a Master of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a BA from Brown University.

Joji Tokeshi Resident Director, Kabul, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Born in Peru and educated in Peru and Japan, Mr. Tokeshi has more than 25 years of professional experience. Main professional areas of expertise are rural finance and development, agriculture development, and natural resources management, and environment. Has wide experience in Asia, South America, and Africa focusing on the development of rural financial institutions, dryland farming, primary crop production, rural communities' development, integrated water resources management, and climatic change.






Additionally, as part of his work with ADB, he conducted policy dialogue with senior government officials and supported the formulation of national development plans, and agriculture and rural development sector strategies in South and Central Asia. Mr. Tokeshi assumed the post of ADB’s Country Director for Tajikistan in September 2010. Prior to that, he worked as ADB's Deputy Country Director in Tajikistan since February 2009, and Deputy Country Director at the Afghanistan Resident Mission where he stayed from September 2005 to January 2009. In Tajikistan, he led the formulation of the ADB’s Tajikistan Country Partnership Strategy 2010-2014, and the Joint Country Partnership Strategy 2009-2012. Mr. Tokeshi is the current Country Director of ADB - Afghanistan Resident Mission. Educations: Kyoto University, Japan, Doctorate Studies in Economics, 1989; Kyoto University, Japan, M.A. Studies in Economics, Japan, 1986 and Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Peru, B.A. Studies in Economics, 1978.

Gordon W. Weynand Director, Technical Services Division, Office of Afghanistan & Pakistan Affairs, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Mr. Weynand, in his position at USAID, supervises a team of economic growth, democracy & governance, agriculture, infrastructure, education, health, gender, and stabilization specialists and provides technical support to USAID Missions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He particularly focuses his staff on designing and implementing sector assistance programs that support host-country governments seeking to improve sustainable access to modern services, and collaborates with the State Department, other USG agencies, the private sector, NGOs, academia, and other development partners on global, regional, and local initiatives.

From 2008 to Nov. 2010, he was the Senior Energy & Environment Officer within the Middle East Bureau Office of Technical Support, which also supports USAID’s Asia Bureau. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Energy Team Leader within the Office of Infrastructure & Engineering (I&E) in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, & Trade of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). During 2002, he was Acting Executive Director of the US-Asia Environmental Partnership Program (US-AEP) within the Asia and Near East Bureau. From 1998 through 2001, he served as Deputy Director of USAID's Global Bureau Office of Energy, Environment & Technology. In the previous 6 years, he worked in Central & Eastern Europe and in the Former Soviet Union on power sector restructuring, oil & gas sector reform, and nuclear safety. Before joining the US Government, he worked for over 11 years in the private sector in the US oil & gas industry. He has a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the US Army War College, an MA degree in Environmental & Natural Resource Policy from George Washington University, and MS and BS degrees in Geophysics from Texas A&M University.

His Excellency Dr. Omar Zakhilwal Minister of Finance, Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, is the Minister of Finance since March 2009 and Chief Economic Advisor to the President since July 2008. Prior to that he served as the Acting Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation from November 2008 to February 2009 and the President & CEO of Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) since August 2005 to February 2009. Prior to his return to Afghanistan, Dr. Zakhilwal served as a Senior Research Economist at Statistics Canada and taught economics at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

Over the period Dr. Zakhilwal has been the Minister of Finance, the Ministry has witnessed significant achievements on a number of fronts. Most noticeable amongst the achievements has been a significant increase in national revenue.

Aid coordination has been strengthen and more Afghan-led. A policy analysis center within the ministry was established enabling Afghans to write their own development programs and policies. Stated owned enterprises such as Ariana Airline, Bank Milli, Pashtani Bank, Intercontinental Hotel were assisted and guided to become profitable for the first time.

Dr. Zakhilwal served as President of AISA, Chief Advisor at the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) of Afghanistan and as member of the Supreme Council of Da Afghanistan Bank. Dr. Zakhilwal has a PhD in Economics from Carleton University in Ottawa Canada, and a MA from Queen’s University in Kingston Canada and his BA (Honors) from University of Winnipeg Canada.

Dr. Zakhilwal has written numerous articles in English on political, economic and social issues pertaining to Afghanistan for such prominent newspapers, magazines and journals as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Forum of Federation Quarterly, Human Rights Tribune, Al-Ehram and many other publications.



aacc symposium "afghanistan as hub: the role of transport & logistics"

Documents

executive director

afghanistan moderator

resident director

deputy director

aacc symposium

senior logistics director

business development

international affairs