Executive Summary

Since 2001, the Government of Afghanistan has placed significant emphasis on institutionalizing reforms aimed at improving the country's overall business and investment climate, improving supplyside competitiveness of key priority sectors (both goods-and services-based) and strengthening regional integration. The private sector is provided a prominent role to participate in policymaking debates affecting business and investment. However, Afghanistan continues to face security challenges that are inhibiting these promising efforts. These conditions that are exerting downward pressures on the economy are evident by the registered decline in the GDP rate (2.4 per cent in 2018 from 2.7 per cent in 2017)1 and is expected to affect job creation as well as further productive growth. As a post-conflict country in reform, the country faces a multitude of important hurdles to overcome.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Gender Equality

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Partnerships for the Goals