The Overseas Private Investment Corporation Jan. 8 played host to the first round of talks aimed at sorting out U.S. private sector involvement in post-Taliban Afghanistan. The talks brought together more than 40 Afghan-American business leaders and senior officials from the U.S. government and territorial institutions to outline investment opportunities—and potential challenges—facing the war-ravaged country.

OPIC president and CEO Dr. Peter Watson said his organization and the Afghan-America Foundation called the meeting to encourage U.S. investors, beginning with Afghan-American businesses, to assist in speeding the reconstruction of the country and to help other companies in identifying potentially profitable sectors once it stabilizes.

“Post-Taliban Afghanistan will require not only humanitarian assistance, but support as it rebuilds its economy and economic institutions, including a capacity to make use of foreign direct investment in a way that benefits as many Afghans as possible,” Dr. Watson says. “Economic growth generated by investment stands to be the most sustainable and diffuse—two outcomes certainly we all support.”

Among the participants at the talks were representatives from the State Department, the U.S. Export Import Bank, the U.S Trade and Development Agency, the World Bank and the National Security Council, among others.