Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

ICC Turkey National Committee 57th General Assembly was held at the Union Service Building. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We’ve hosted the LDCs Conference in Turkey. Unfortunately while trade has been liberalized to this degree, where obstructions are abolished, poverty has increased even more. At the start of the 1970’s, the number of LDCs was 22, this number has increased to 48 and we’ve hosted these 48 countries. As both the obstructions in the way of trade are being abolished and walls are torn down, the gap between rich and poor countries still increases. This threatens the world’s future. If this gap continues to increase it will bring nothing but trouble to everyone later.”

-“If we can keep up with the changes we will be among the winners”

Saying that we stand at the threshold of a new era, Hisarcıklıoğlu spoke; “A spark was struck when an unemployed university graduate salesman set himself on fire in North Africa, destroying places deemed indestructible Armadas. All of North Africa and Middle East is going through changes. Similar to the beginning of the 90’s, a political change is taking place in our close proximity as well as the whole world. Likewise, we will also start a new era of economics. Credit institutions, banking systems and everything that the West depended on has been demolished in the global crisis. Speculations about how the new economic order will take shape are being made. We are also in the midst of a new political order taking shape in our region. We’ve lived through the 90’s to 2001 with our inner struggles. Due to the terror and the Southeast issue in Turkey, we weren’t aware of the changes then. We didn’t know where the world trade, politics were going. We only thought the 6 changes in the Turkish Republics in Eurasia worth notice. Now the world is on the cusp of important changes. We didn’t notice those 10 years. If we can keep up with the changes and divine their meanings we will be among the winners, as Turkey.”

-A chance to increase national income

Stating that Turkey stands in the shared geography of demolished economic data and political change, TOBB and ICC Turkey National Committee President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “Turkey must ensure unity and solidarity to recognize the changes happening in the world. When we can do this we will have a stupendous chance of achieving our goal of raising personal income from 10,000 dollars to 30,000 dollars. A chance at closing the gap of the rich and poor inside the country. We will also achieve prestige in regards to the chances we missed before.”
Emphasizing the importance of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that we must observe the changes in the ICC and legislative changes carefully. Requesting that chamber and commodity exchange presidents of influence keep a close eye on the ICC, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that this holds great import in regards to informing their members. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Also in regards to financial establishments and legislature, it must be observed carefully. Because legists lead the people. Because legists know the legislations, regulations and ICC Arbitration rules best in regards to commercial disagreements, investment disputes, international commercial business discrepancies, and we cannot but obey their word when it comes to commercial business.”

-TOBB Board Vice-President Bülent Koşmaz

TOBB Board Vice-President Bülent Koşmaz said that Citibank, Sanko Holding and many prominent law firms attend International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Turkey National Committee as members and urged more local actors to attend.

Koşmaz, speaking at the opening of the ICC Turkey National Committee 57th General Assembly stated that in order to increase the level of welfare in the world, public administration and private sector representatives must work in concert, that trade is the lifeblood of global economy.

Stating that while the world economies’ rate of growth in the last 10 years has been 4%, the international trade volume has increased by 9% and increase in trade has brought about growth, Koşmaz reported that ICC took active part in many international platforms, conveying the views and trepidations of the business world to world leaders.

-The importance of gaining expertise in arbitration

Koşmaz stated that with the development of the global economy, businessmen are coming face to face with more and more disputes and this reiterates the importance of gaining expertise in arbitration. Saying that the National Committee’s decision to conduct courses in arbitration signed with the Banking and Trade Legislature Research Institute in 2009 was ongoing, saying Turkey National Committee has been one of the most active National Committees since 1934 within the ICC, working with the support of TOBB;
“Our purpose, today as it was yesterday, is to keep working as a strong national committee in the ICC community in the future. National Committee has gained the memberships of Citibank, Sanko Holding and many law firms of import. In this regard we invite more local actors to join our team in our work with the ICC.”
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