18/08/2025
Official Statement
Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI)
It has been brought to my attention that my name has been included and publicly circulated as an invitee to an upcoming meeting on Afghanistan scheduled to take place in Pakistan. I wish to formally clarify that no confirmation of participation was ever provided from my side, and my name was included without any prior consultation or authorization. Such actions risk creating misunderstanding and misrepresentation regarding the roles and responsibilities of those listed.
The Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI) is an independent national institution mandated to represent the collective interests of Afghan women entrepreneurs and the private sector. Its participation in any forum is guided strictly by its institutional mandate and governed by the principles of legitimacy, inclusiveness, and transparency. AWCCI does not take part in platforms that prioritize selective or fragmented agendas over broad-based national economic priorities.
Accordingly, I formally state that the agenda of this meeting bears no relation to the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry or its officially recognized members. The inclusion of my name without authorization constitutes an arbitrary action that risks creating confusion and undermining the constructive role of national institutions. I strongly object to this misrepresentation and respectfully urge the organizers to uphold professional standards, transparency, and accountability in order to preserve the credibility of their initiatives and avoid fueling unnecessary divisions.
Salma Yousufzai
CEO
Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI)
