Safir Sahar

Safir Sahar is a trade and customs legal expert with nearly 15 years of trade and customs reform experience, including six years implementing USAID-funded economic growth projects in Afghanistan and Central Asia. He is currently a project management unit director in Chemonics’ home office, managing the USAID Afghanistan Capacity Building Activity. He recently completed his…

News: Chemonics Helps Foster Economic Opportunity at the India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show

New Delhi, India: Beginning Wednesday, September 27, the Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan Trade and Investment Show will bring together more than 1,000 public and private sector participants for a three-day trade and investment event. The purpose of the trade show is to support Afghan producers in expanding their exports to Indian markets. Creating opportunities for Afghan products…

News: Chemonics’ E-Payment Activities in Afghanistan

After decades of war, Afghanistan continues to raise headlines questioning the effectiveness and value of providing development assistance in such a conflict-prone country. It is easy to focus on the negative headlines and criticisms. Yet while there are challenges, there are also successes that prove why these investments matter. The Afghanistan Trade and Revenue (ATAR)…

A Stronger Private Sector in Pakistan

A primary prerequisite of stabilization is a robust and competitive private sector supported by policies that will enable economic growth. The USAID Pakistan Firms project worked toward this end, assisting targeted firms to boost exports and employment in the livestock, tourism, fishing, and mango industries. One main focus of Firms was to work with district…

John Thissen

John Thissen is a public finance management specialist with more than 20 years of experience in tax policy, revenue estimation, and forecasting, and impact analysis. He is currently a director in the Europe and Eurasia region and manages the USAID Public Financial Management IQC. John has developed the capacity of the public sector to support…

Nancy Zlotsky

Nancy Zlotsky joined Chemonics in 1988 and has more than 25 years of experience supporting agriculture and other economic growth efforts around the world, especially in Africa. Over 10 years, she served as senior vice president for the Project Development and Support Division, Africa Region, and Strategic Programs. Nancy was based for another five years…

Isaiah Oliver

Isaiah Oliver is a private sector engagement, trade and investment, and climate finance expert with more than 13 years of experience focusing on the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Eurasia, and Latin America. He has conducted assessments and developed implementation strategies for programs in diverse sectors, including private capital mobilization, enterprise competitiveness, and climate finance.…

Ibrahim Osta

Ibrahim Osta is an international economic development expert with experience in international trade and investment promotion, youth entrepreneurship, and tourism development. He has designed, launched, and managed international development projects exceeding $140 million in donor financing with an additional quarter billion dollars in leveraged funds from public, private, and international institutions. Currently based in Washington,…

Farrukh Khan

Farrukh Khan is a private sector development leader with over 25 years of experience leading Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) development, competitive enhancement, and business enabling environment activities in Pakistan. He holds 19 years of experience in progressive leadership roles including five years as the value chain development component leader on the USAID-funded Pakistan Firms…

Reducing Barriers to Trade in Central Asia

The USAID Regional Economic Cooperation project improved cross-border trade between Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. To facilitate trade, the project conducted an analysis of Central Asian markets and established durable export partnerships. In Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, the project evaluated the export potential of and business constraints on Central Asia, developed and strengthened trade networks,…

Improving Moldova’s Economy Through Business Reforms

Over the past several years, Moldova has made considerable progress in reforming its business environment. The USAID Moldova Business Regulatory, Investment, and Trade Environment (BRITE) project helped the government of Moldova make reforms that attracted investment, encouraged entrepreneurship, increased competitiveness, and solidified the foundation of the country’s market economy. BRITE focused on reforms that the…

Piloting and Promoting Best Practices for Economic Growth

Although countries’ specific contexts influence their national policies, there are best practices for economic development from which all countries can learn. Drawing on best practices and lessons learned from USAID programming, the Asia and Middle East Economic Growth Best Practices (AMEG) project developed effective interventions that strengthened economic institutions and governance. In collaboration with USAID…