The Rebuild Afghanistan Trade Fair was held in Afghanistan on 9 - 12 November 2005. Companies from over 30 countries exhibited and there were more than 10,000 visitors in attendance. Enterprise Development Project (EDP) led a delegation of companies from Central Asia that included three Tajik SMEs and the Tajik Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Due to our efforts in organizing the Central Asian delegation, EDP was named the exhibition's best supporting partner.

Although we expect several new ventures and partnerships to come out of the exhibition over the coming months, one of the Tajik participants began a partnership during the event itself. During the exhibition, Tajik handicraft producer Rukhom realized that there are many opportunities to trade in both materials for making handicrafts as well as finished products. Rukhom Director Mufarrakh Muhabatov signed an initial deal with the Association of Handicraft Producers of Afghanistan and purchased $12,300 in handicrafts. These Afghan products were recently on display at the opening of their new store in Dushanbe on November 17th. This new store, named Silk Road, is specifically for Afghan handicrats and is located next to its store for local Tajik handicrafts and precious stones. Mufarrakh recently returned to Kabul and is now arranging for a much larger shipment of goods for the store in Dushanbe. During the second visit to Kabul Mufarrakh signed long-term contracts with the Association of Handicraft Producers of Afghanistan and the Baig Brothers Handicraft Company.

Rukhom also agreed to supply the Afghan association and Baig Brothers with precious and semi-precious stones, including Lapis Lazuli (Lazurite) and Onyx from the Badakshan region of Tajikistan (Pamirs). The Afghani partners will make these precious stones into jewelry and other handicrafts. The association will then send the finished goods to Rukhom for sale in Tajikistan. As the first partnership resulting from the exhibition in Kabul, this deal represents the potential for increased trade and growing economic ties between Afghanistan and Central Asia.