18.05.2015 Diyarbakır
The third Domestic Product Certification Introduction and Support for SMEs / Women and Youth Entrepreneurs Meeting was held in Diyarbakır and attended by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz and Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık.
Also attending the meeting were Diyarbakır Governor Hüseyin Aksoy, TOBB Board
Treasurer Faik Yavuz, TOBB Board Member Memiş Kütükcü, TOBB Board Member and Diyarbakır
Commodity Exchange Chairman Ebubekir Bal, Diyarbakır Chamber of Commodity and
Industry Ahmet Sayar as well as the chamber and exchange chairs of neighboring
provinces and counties.
TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the first meeting was held in
İstanbul, second in Bursa with the third being held in Diyarbakır.
Reporting that 1994 Domestic Product Certificates have been issued
throughout the country, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Diyarbakır has 0, resulting
in the need to hold this meeting.
Pointing out that the industrialists in Diyarbakır have not become aware
of this quite yet, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We’ve come here to introduce this to
yo0u all. All of Turkey has the chance to attain a 15% price advantage against China
or Germany in all public tenders.” Reporting that TOBB has ensured the issuance
of three Prime Ministerial Notices in the last 10 years, which were not entered
into effect due to bureaucratic issues, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that with
Minister Fikri leading, this has finally been implemented as part of the law.
Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that the products most advantageous to be
produced in Diyarbakır would be decided upon through the arbitration of the
Development Agency and the Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- No trade without peace
Stating that the best incentive for Diyarbakır and the region is to
ensure peace through the successful completion of the solution process, TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that as the peace increases along with the
solution process, prosperity and tourism have been talked about more, that
dreams of the future and projects are coming to the fore.
Pointing out that all that is necessary in order to achieve all of these
dreams and reach these goals is peace, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Without peace,
there is no trade; without trade there is no prosperity. Everyone who thinks
about the future of this country and this city should take it upon themselves
to ensure peace.
Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they are relaying the problems of the
region to ministers, the prime minister and the president directly.
Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked the Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz and the
Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık as well as KOSGEB, TÜBİTAK
and the Public Tenders Institution for their contributions to all of this.
- Other speakers
Development Minister Cevdet Yılmaz provided information in regards to
future projects as well as the ones which have recently begun. Touching on the
importance of generating employment, Yılmaz stated that a region can’t be
developed by state investment alone and that it requires investment of the
private sector as well.
Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Işık touched on the
importance of industry and production, pointing out that countries which lacked
investment into these fields fared the worst in the 2008 economic crisis.
Stating that a new industrial strategy for 2015-2018 is in development, Işık
said that a new success story is necessary to achieve the 2023 goals.
Governor Hüseyin Aksoy drew attention to Diyarbakır’s average age of 22
as a distinct advantage over the rest of Turkey and reported that the
participation of women in the workforce in Diyarbakır has shown great
development.
TOBB Board Member and Diyarbakır Commodity Exchange Chair Ebubekir Bal
stated that Diyarbakır is exemplary with its history, culture and religion,
inhabited by people of vastly different creeds and culture for centuries in
peace.