06.09.2014 Köln / Almanya
Turkish businessmen are expanding their abroad organization model from country level to the city level in order to increase influence. World Turkish Business Council, working under DEİK, is organized in over 200 cities worldwide. Meeting with over 600 Turkish businessmen in Köln, DEİK and DTİK President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Our goal is to match the effectiveness of Chinese and Jewish diaspora by the centennial anniversary of the Republic, becoming one of the top 3 diaspora in the world. We won’t be the most numerous but we target being one of the most effective. With our institutional structure, we will contribute to turning Turkey dreams into goals and its goals into reality.”
The World Turkish Business Council (DTİK), aiming to strengthen the
Turkish lobby by bringing Turkish entrepreneurs and professionals living abroad,
has ramped up its efforts.
Completing its city organization in Europe and the Balkans following
Australia, DTİK brought together nearly 600 Turkish businessmen in Köln,
Germany, in order to formulate its plans for the new term. During the meeting,
120 city representatives from 25 countries received their certificates.
Attending the meeting were Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Hüseyin Avni
Karslıoğlu, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB Vice Presidents Halim
Mete and Faik Yavuz, TOBB Board Member Sahin Bilgic, DEİK Board Vice Presidents
Zeynel Abidin Erdem, Ayhan Zeytinoğlu,
DEİK Board Member Murat Yalçıntaş as well as a large business delegation.
- The diaspora’s role in regards
to the 2023 goals
Holding a press meeting prior to the “Grand Meeting of Europe and the
Balkans” certificate ceremony along with the Board Members of DTİK, DEİK/DTİK
Board President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “2023 national goals will be
achieved through the courage, experience and knowledge of the Turkish
entrepreneur. We will attain these goals
through the dynamism of Turkish entrepreneurs spread throughout the world.
Other countries’ experiences provide us with examples to this end. The Chinese
diaspora made China the production center of the world. The Indian diaspora has
made India the software center of the world. Israel has become an innovation
center by working through its diaspora. Nearly 6 million Turkish entrepreneurs
living abroad is one of our greatest assets for achieving our goal of becoming
one of the 10 largest economies in the world.”
- Turkish diaspora center to be
established to be
Stating that they will be kicking off new projects to strengthen the
Turkish diaspora, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they will be establishing a
World Turkish Entrepreneurs Implementation and Research Center at TOBB ETU,
“Our second will focus on getting every member of our diaspora employed as well
as aiding our domestic brands to enter the international market through the
Diaspora Franchise Platform. In line with a protocol signed with the National
Franchise Association (UFRAD), diaspora youth are being given discounts for
franchises. Thirdly, each year we will be bringing a number of successful
diaspora youth to Turkey for apprenticeship as well as being paired with DEİK
business council presidents in order to be mentored by them.”
- 100 billion USD goal
In regards to the next 10 years until 2023, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We
have two goals with the Turkish diaspora entrepreneurs. The first is to ensure
that our diaspora generates a value of 100 billion USD. The second is to have
at least 10 companies established by diaspora entrepreneurs to be based in the
finance center of the future, Exchange Istanbul.”