Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

During the meeting, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu expressed his pleasure for the visit. Providing information regarding TOBB’s structure and works, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are always prepared to share their experiences with the Jordanian business world.

Talking about the success story of the last 30 years for Turkey, the TOBB President reminded the words of the late Turgut Özal, ‘Turkey will grow by the hand of the private sector.’ “There is no oil in Turkey, nor any natural gas,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu and went on, “If Turkey is to grow it will be by the hand of the private sector. We were a closed economy then. The only production was to address our own needs. The late Özal saw the developments in the world and Turkey before anyone else. The Eastern Block had not fallen yet. But Özal said, ‘Turkey will grow by the hand of the private sector.’ At the time, Greece and Saudi Arabia were richer than us. Today, Turkey is ahead of both Saudi Arabia and Greece put together. This happened with the private sector coming into prominence. We discovered something 30 years ago. We have a great enterprising spirit.

Thirty years ago Turkey’s export volume was only 3 billion USD. Of that, over 90% was agricultural goods. Today we have an export volume of 152 billion USD, 92% of which are industrial goods. The point we’ve arrived at is the largest industrial giant between Italy and China.”

Emphasizing that the Turkish private sector has accomplished great advances, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We are always prepared to share our experiences with our Jordanian brothers.”

Touching on the request of Jordan Chamber of Commerce President Kabariti to establish a functioning mechanism, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We are ready for this. Our technical friends will organize the infrastructure. Let us sign an agreement to this end together. Let’s not just leave it in writing; let’s take action.”

Also touching on the cooperation agreement to be signed between the TOBB University of Economy and Technology and Petra University, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “This cooperation between our academia as well as our youth.”

- Kabariti: We can establish an executive mechanism

Speaking on behalf of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce President Nael Kabariti said, expressing that a mechanism to actualize the commercial relations between the two countries would be beneficial, “We can cooperate in many areas and we can also establish an executive mechanism as well. All signed agreements must be actualized. We must develop a mechanism to develop cooperative relations between Turkish and Jordanian businessmen as well as starting actual work.”

After the meeting, a cooperation agreement between the TOBB University of Economy and Technology and Petra University was signed, witnessed by TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and the Jordanian committee.

Attending the meeting were Jordan Chamber of Commerce President Nael Kabariti, Jordan Chamber of Industry President Ayman Hatahet, Amman Chamber of Commerce President Riyad Al Saifi, Turkey – Jordan Business Council President Hasan Şerif Egeli, Turkey - Jordan Business Council Opposite Wing President Hamdi Tabaa, Jordan Chamber of Commerce Board Member Issa Murad, Amman Chamber of Commerce Vice President Reem Al Badran, Amman Chamber of Industry Member Ziad Humsi and Jordan Private Petra University Rector and former Jordan Prime Minister Adnan Badran.