Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated at the press conference, attended also by the Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan and DEİK Executive Council President Rona Yırcalı, that entrepreneurs will be the driving force behind the Global Turkey vision.

Stating that this year’s slogan will be “Turkey Rising in a Changing World”, Hisarcıklıoğlu spoke, “It is paramount that we pioneer change on the national and global scale. To direct change according to our national goals and dreams.”

Saying that they would be meeting with prominent figures abroad for a stronger Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu spoke;

“We will strengthen our internal ties as the Turkish Diaspora. The Turkish private sector and Turkish entrepreneurs have been the most dynamic force behind the change our country has under gone. We have great goals for the 100th anniversary of the founding of our Republic, 2023. We want to be one of the ten biggest economies in the world. We want to be a country whose citizens live happily, which has a high quality democracy, strong economy and is an important global actor. We dream of a world and Turkey where Turkish Airline flies to the four corners of the world, where our bankers are available to our entrepreneurs at every location, where every household has ‘Made in Turkey’ goods, respectable printing houses of the world print our authors’ books, youth in other countries want to attend higher education in Turkey and learn Turkish.

You will meet Turkish entrepreneurs in any plane taking off from any airport in the world. Turkish entrepreneurs conduct business from Vancouver to Vladivostok; from Helsinki to Cape Town.

Goods and services are marketed almost everywhere in the world, we export to over 200 countries.

Successfully completing nearly six thousand construction contracts in 86 countries, the Turkish entrepreneur is buying and conducting mergers, managing over two thousand stores abroad. Turkish professionals are directing global companies and international establishments.

Turkish entrepreneurs and professionals who have achieved all of these have proven to the world that Turks are a mercantile, entrepreneurial and executive people.”

- 2023 goals will be accomplished by Turkish entrepreneurs’ courage and knowledge

Stating that the 2023 goals will be accomplished by Turkish entrepreneurs’ courage and knowledge, TOBB President said;

“We will accomplish these goals with the dynamism of Turkish entrepreneurs spread out to the four corners of the world. When we observe the factors which make China the production base, India the software development base and Israel the innovation base of the world, we see that the active communication with their diasporas and the unification of those under a common goal.

As Turkey we have previously considered Diaspora an unsavory word. We have identified it with the negative activities conducted against Turkey by Diasporas of other countries.

However we also have a strong presence abroad which is not organized.

We have not considered this as a factor of global power and have not generated policies accordingly.

Consider our human power! Today, 5.2 million Turks live in Europe. They run 140,000 commercial establishments, employ 640,000 people and generate 50 billion € income. 350 work at Microsoft and 35 at Google, 75 engineers in Boeing.

Turkey is the 10th country in regards to the number of its citizens living abroad. It is the 10th country which sends the most students to the USA. There are 130,000 university students and 830,000 primary school students abroad. There are 3,900 Turkish associations abroad.

We have established the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK) as part of the Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEİK) to organize the Turkish Diasporas which number over 5 million and unite them around our goals.

- The importance of Diasporas

Stating that they plan to have one of the most effective Diasporas in the world with the sustainable Diaspora strategy, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that a strong Diaspora is crucial for competing in the 21st century.

“We have 10 main priorities in this regard,” Hisarcıklıoğlu said and listed: The Turkish Diaspora should have a Turkish passport as well as one for the country in which he is living. An effective promotion strategy to promote the successes of the members of the Turkish Diaspora. Turks participating in international establishments and NGOs in larger numbers. Encouragement of Turkish professionals to work in international firms. The active participation of the Turkish Diaspora in the social and cultural life of the country which they’re living in. The active participation of the Turkish Diaspora in the local and national politics of the country which they’re living in and strengthening the image that they represent the whole of the people. The Turkish Diaspora teaching their children the language of the country which they’re living in as well as Turkish. Cooperating, not competing, with Turkish companies abroad. The formation of a sustainable diasporas strategy via public and private sector cooperation. The implementation of mechanisms to allow professionals who live in other countries to contribute to projects in Turkey.

- Prime Minister Erdoğan will also attend

Stating that every session will be attended by a minister, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that in every regional session, ideas on how to design and apply Turkey’s sustainable Diaspora strategy would be discussed.

“On the second day of our Council, our Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be attending. On the second day elections for the DTİK Board and regional committees will be held and new management will be determined. We invite our entrepreneurs and professionals from all over the world to our Council.

- Minister of Economy Zafer Çağlayan

Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan stated in his speech that the Council was an extremely successful event. Çağlanyan said, “I’m following DEİK performance closely. This is a very important enterprise in a time when world is undergoing so much trouble.”

Stating that Turkey is the 16th largest country in the world today where budget surplus is being talked about 9 months into the year, Zafer Çağlayan said, “Turkey has achieved and unemployment rate of 9.1. It is a country with 50,000 exporters who sell to every place in the world. The Republic of Turkey has accomplished the largest employment in its history. Turkey’s financial state is in a better state than most EU countries. Turkey presents itself as a role model. This is a real success, the progress made from ‘the sickly old man’.”

- We lack cooperation

Stating that the unemployment figures in 12 of the EU countries is worse than Turkey, Çağlayan spoke:

“Our budget performance is better than 19 of the EU’s countries. Turkey holds an important position with its entrepreneurs. What we lack is cooperation. This platform needs that Turkish businessmen everywhere in the world cooperate. Today, Turkish entrepreneurs trust themselves, each other and their country. They have come to the point that they have ensured 500 billion dollars worth of exports and more than 2 trillion dollars’ worth of national income. As the public administration, it is our duty to let the private sector work unfettered.

I’ve traveled the world 20 times over. Today we have 209 financial advisers in 194 centers in 89 countries. By the end of the year we will be at 250.”

Calling on businessmen abroad, Çağlayan said, “Our financial advisers are at your call. They are your marketing personnel. My advisers are your eyes, radars, guides, translators.

We cannot act contrary to the world. The importance of international activities instead of national ones is recognized. Our businessmen are Turkey’s promotion ambassadors. Turkish businessmen have the means to and are capable of directing world trade.”

- Africa, Middle East and Gulf Region Committee President Tunç Özkan

Regional Committee Presidents shared their views during the meeting. Africa, Middle East and Gulf Region Committee President Tunç Özkan stated that the Middle East and Africa is an area where contradictions coexist, saying, "On the one hand, it is the richest areas - on the other hand there are people who can't even access water."

- America Region Coordinator Nedim Düzenli

America Region Coordinator Nedim Düzenli stated, "The recession which started in 2008 in America has affected the world economy. This was a new axis for entrepreneurs. Political and economic relations became inseparable in relations between America and Turkey. Our relations with Canada have progressed. Canada is the foremost country in which to invest in the world. Inflation is between 2 and 3 percent. The currency cost is zero. There is an established system with few fluctuations."

- Europe Region Committee President Turgut Torunoğulları

The Europe Region Committee President Turgut Torunoğulları said in his speech, "There are 5.2 million Turks in Europe. We have 108,000 businesses. We have organized seminars and trips for investment. We have relayed our reports to the ministers in Turkey and in the countries we operate in. We have conducted over 20 meetings in Europe, attended by businessmen from all over Europe. With the opportunities presented to us by DEİK, we have come to know each other better. We know which Turks are doing what in each country. We continue to bring businessmen and students together throughout many countries."

Torunoğulları stated that businessmen from Turkey wishing to invest in Europe do not confer with the businessmen already there and issued a call for closer collaboration.
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