26.02.2015 Ankara
Hosted by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and attended by the Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz and US Chamber of Commerce Delegation, the “Healthcare Sector Policy Seminar” to discuss healthcare and pharmaceutical sector investment opportunities as a part of the Economic Transformation Program.
During the meeting, emphasis was made on the need for increasing high
tech foreign capital in order to increase Turkey’s high tech exports and that
the future holds important opportunities for healthcare and pharmaceutical
investments.
Speaking at the “Healthcare Sector Policy Seminar” at the TOBB Twin
Towers, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in regards to financial
relations between Turkey and the USA, pointed out that they share a singular
vision as state and private sector, stating that these joint organizations
would contribute greatly to the development of sectors.
Stating that Turkey’s economy is undergoing an important transformation,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In the past, we transitioned from low tech production to
medium tech production. Our goal now is to transition to high tech. We want to focus
on product development and added value generation. The healthcare sector is one
of the sectors we concentrate on.”
Stating that they want to utilize the pharmaceutical sector as a
catalyst for the transfer and dissemination of biotech in Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that they would be focusing on this sector in the future.
Additionally Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are quite aware of the
issues effecting American companies at the moment and said, “Our pharmaceutical
sector requires specific incentives in order to receive more productive
investments. We are following up on these diligently.”
- Minister Yılmaz: Intellectual Property
Rights Law will pass with all due haste
Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz pointed to the importance of
state-private sector cooperation. Stressing the importance of high added value
production, Yılmaz stated that they put priority on healthcare which is among
the 25 fields of reform.
Reporting that incentives would be implemented for medical equipment and
pharmaceutical production Minister Yılmaz emphasized that they would prioritize
domestic medical equipment production.
Minister Yılmaz also stated that the Intellectual Property Rights Law waiting
in parliament would pass with all due haste.
TEPAV Director Güven Sak gave a presentation on the necessity of high
tech production, emphasizing the need for transitioning exports to high tech,
pointing out that new cooperation mechanisms for technology transfer are
necessary.
US Chamber of Commerce representatives stated that they are convinced
Turkey would be able to escape the medium income trap, pointing to innovation
and investment as important tools to this end.