Afghanistan Enterprise Council (AEC) is world's first independent, nonpolitical and non-governmental think-tank based in Europe dedicated to studying, researching and understanding Afghanistan’s trade, investment, business and economic affairs.
AEC believes in improving the lives of ordinary Afghans through education, free markets, trade, innovation and business.
Our experience shows that the overwhelming involvement of foreign aid agencies, development consultants and uninformed politicians in Afghanistan post 9/11, has resulted in policies and initiatives for private sector, which have catastrophically failed. It has undermined innovation, entrepreneurship and organic economic growth of the nation, it is time to put an end to such uninformed menace.
The failure of the politicians to create jobs, thriving businesses and opportunities for a large population of young Afghans, has turned the nation into the world’s most dangerous place for women, billions of aid money wasted and youth turning to a life of crime, drug abuse and flight from the country.
Afghanistan’s addiction to aid from donors is undermining the most important traits of the local people, which is hard work, creativity and trade. It is these qualities that will build a peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Afghanistan, not donations.
Founded by British Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, AEC envisions a dignified Afghanistan dependent on the talent, creativity and skills of its people. We aim to change not only the debate on how Afghanistan can stand on its own feet as a dignified and self-reliant nation of the world but also change the attitude of every stakeholder in the country and the destiny of the nation.
At AEC, we bring together from across the world, the most visionary, disruptive and entrepreneurial private sector leaders, leading academicians, prominent civil society activists and talented public sector policy makers to lead the nation into a bright future of peace, unity and opportunities for all.