U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, singled out OTF's achievements in Afghanistan at a speech to participants at the National Competitiveness Summit in February of 2005. Below are exerpts from his speech:

"Countries that follow the command model will—without
exception—produce stagnant economies that are inefficient, incapable
of dynamic growth, and detrimental to individual initiative.

Countries that allow free markets to flourish will create wealth,
opportunities, and prosperity.

Again, we have thousands and thousands of examples of
development projects over the course of many years on which to base
this conclusion.

Even without the stunning disparities in economic success
between East and West Germany, North and South Korea, or the
Soviet Union and the United States to learn from, it should still be
obvious from our years of development experience which system
benefits people more.

The OTF Group has learned these lessons well, and they are
doing extremely important work as leaders in the development field.
Their approach recognizes the vital role of private enterprise and
free markets in promoting economic opportunity, but it also recognizes
the critical role of culture in making markets work.

Two of the OTF Group’s most important insights include the idea
that competitiveness is the one factor that drives every economic
decision in the marketplace, and the obvious, and yet powerful insight
that firms, not nations, compete against each other.

It is a wonder why the benefits of competition do not receive
greater attention."

"The OTF Group, for example, has done excellent work in
assisting Afghan firms with their export competitiveness, a project that
will create the kind of long-term economic viability that alone can
make Afghanistan independent and prosperous

The goal of USAID projects is, indeed, to improve the prosperity
of the average Afghan citizen

Over the next two years, the OTF Group’s competitive project in
the three key export sectors of carpets, dried fruits and nuts, and
marble will serve as a model for firms in other sectors of the economy,
and demonstrate the potential of high value, innovative products made
in Afghanistan."