FAIDA project closeout ceremony held in US Embassy, Kabul

January 22, 2017- Financial Access for Investing in Development of Afghanistan (FAIDA) which was inaugurated six years ago with a total fund of $113.5 million, has officially been completed during a closeout ceremony in US Embassy, Kabul.

The event was attended by H.E Khalil Sediq, Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), Mr. Wahidullah Nosher, first deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, Mr. Qaseem Rahimi, second deputy Governor of Da Afghanistan Bank, ministers and high officials of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr. Herbert Smith, USAID Mission Director to Afghanistan, representatives of International Organizations and financial institutions of Afghanistan, Director of Afghanistan Banks Association, Insurance Companies, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), FAIDA's beneficiaries and staff.

The ceremony was started by Mr. Joseph Daniel Mooney's speech, FAIDA's Chief of Party who discussed the importance and achievements of FAIDA project in Afghanistan.

Talking about significant assistance of FAIDA, H.E Khalil Sediq Governor of DAB said that FAIDA has been a successful project with great achievements in Financial and Banking sector over the last six years. The Governor furthered added "Despite considerable achievements in Banking sector, there is still much to do to improve the Banking System. Afghanistan's financial sector still needs assistance from its international partners such as USAID to introduce programs and projects like FAIDA."

The ceremony included speeches from Abdullah Sawiz, USAID's Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for FAIDA, Ms. Kathryn Davis Stevens, Deputy USAID Mission Director to Afghanistan and Mr. Jorge Castro, Deputy Economic Growth Office Director of USAID who talked about FAIDA's importance and achievements in development of Afghanistan, especially in development of Afghanistan's financial sector.