03.09.2015 Ankara
The B20 Turkey Conference, hosted by B20 Turkey and TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu began with the attendance of the President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the prominent actors of the global economy. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that B20 Turkey has been hard at work and have determined a list of 19 demands to be conveyed to G20 Leaders. The list was presented to President Erdoğan.
In his opening speech,
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that, ever since his first days as Prime Minister,
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been a friend to the private sector,
contributing to enacting many reforms which have helped transition Turkey into
a real market economy.
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M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that over 1,100 people from 61 countries will be attending the conference with
high level directors from the world’s largest business organizations; reporting
that SOCAR, Koç Holding, Doğuş Group, Fiba Holding and Vestel are acting as
strategic partners for B20 activities.
Pointing out that global economic
growth has been unable to attain stability in the last 6 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that there are issues in central countries chiefly the USA and European
countries.
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“Global economy is transitioning to a new monetary policy”
Emphasizing that the business
world is facing a new problem in the short term, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The global
economy is transitioning to a new monetary policy.”
Reminding that, at a time when
the FED has shut off the faucets, with various central banks including the
European Central Bank going for monetary expansion, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The
effects of seemingly national decisions are having global results. These
developments are extraordinary for all of us.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that
currency wars are underway and went on:
“It’s an interesting time when
10% loss in value for the strongest currencies is viewed as normal. This just
illustrates how rife with uncertainty the global economy is. We require a
global coordination mechanism in order to address these global issues. That is
why G20 is so important. We all know that global solutions for global problems
can only be reached through G20 and we have the opportunity to influence G20
leaders and the global agenda. It is my hope that the world leaders who will be
hosted by President Erdoğan in November in Antalya will take solid steps to
this end. We need the G20 leadership to show us the way. The sea is violent; we
need a captain at the helm.”
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“We’ve circumnavigated the globe 4 times over"
Emphasizing that they’ve gained
much ground in B20’s traditional workspaces such as commerce, infrastructure
and investments, financing growth, employment, SME’s as well as fighting
corruption, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Ali Koç has been heading their efforts
in regards to employment; Güler Sabancı with trade; Ferit Şahenk with
infrastructure; Hüsnü Özyeğin with finance; Ayhan Zeytinoğlu with fighting
corruption; Melih Yurter with SMEs.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that
they’ve brought SMEs to the forefront of the B20 agenda, he reported the
foundation of the World SME Forum established by ICC and TOBB in İstanbul which
is supported by all G20 governments, the World Bank and the OECD.
- 19
requests from G20
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the
B20 Report comprised of 19 requests will be presented to President Erdoğan
which he will be relaying to the leaders of the G20.
B20 Turkey’s 19 suggestions
regarding the problems of the global economy are as follows:
·
WTO’s Facilitation of Trade Agreement should be signed
and put into effect.
·
Global financial reform agenda should be finalized and
ratified.
·
Coherence between legislations should be emphasized
while the advisory period for financial reform agenda needs to be improved.
·
G20 should implement the Principles of Transparency
for Corporation Rights.
·
The formation of a joint set of international
investment principles and increased transparency and coherence for taxation of
direct foreign investment.
·
Development of infrastructure investment strategies
specific to countries with regards to G20’s growth goals.
·
Improvements to the infrastructure investment
ecosystem to facilitate the development of infrastructure as a value stock.
·
Development and financing of programs aimed towards
addressing ability deficiencies especially in regards to technical,
administrative and entrepreneurial skills.
·
Structural reforms aiming to render employment markets
more dynamic and inclusive in order to increase employment opportunities.
·
Increasing youth and women’s employment rates.
·
Increased transparency and accessibility of credit
credibility and relevant information for SMEs to lower risks of SMEs in
attaining credit thereby enabling more effective utilization of financial
tools.
·
Reinforcement and harmonization of policy, regulation
and standards, enabling and diversifying SMEs’ access to alternative finance
tools.
·
Support for SMEs to enable them to attain compliance
with international standards; capacity development and technical support for SMEs’
access to international markets.
·
Integration of the 5 year global broadband goal into
G20 member states’ growth strategies and improvements to SMEs access to digital
economy and innovation ecosystem through participant cooperation.
·
Improvement of the global system in regards to
developing digital economy.
·
Commencement of an entrepreneurial visa program for
G20 countries.
·
Reiteration of commitments for the retraction of
protectionist policies, especially in regards to nontariff obstacles to trade
concerning localization measures.
·
Development and adoption of a comprehensive digital environment
for customs procedures and border crossing systems in all G20 countries within
five year through public and private sector cooperation.
·
Digitization of public bids, development of High Level
Reporting Mechanisms and Incentivization of business harmonization programs for
public bid procedures.
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President Erdoğan
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
stated that, even alone, Turkey would take its fight against terror to the very
end.
Erdoğan started by wishing
success for the B20 Turkey Conference hosted by TOBB.
President Erdoğan went on to
condemn recent acts of terror and extended his condolences to families and
loved ones of the martyrs as well as the security forces.
Erdoğan stated that G20, founded
in 1999 and elevated to leadership level in 2008, has played an important role
in overcoming the global financial crisis. Pointing out that under Turkey’s
term presidency, G20 has become the most effective mechanism for dialogue in
generating global economic policy.
He stressed that one of the most
important factors which make G20 so effective is that it brings together the
leaders, institutions and the business community, essentially all the economic
and social parties involved.
Erdoğan stated that G20, the most
significant economic cooperation platform at present, is necessary to face possible
future economic crises as well as having the potential to do so much more, “We
must ensure that G20 also contributes to global peace and stability. Without
ensuring peace and trust on a global scale, we will not be able to attain our
economic goals.” Stating that G20 has the power to directly effect the life of
every individual in the world, Erdoğan stated that they must act with this knowledge
in mind as the leaders of G20.
President Erdoğan stated that
they would closely follow the developments in regards to SMEs in light of
recent additions to B20’s taskforces and focus.
Stating the importance of the
Peking-İstanbul route, Erdoğan stressed that no economic, political, social or
cultural project which disregards this significance can have lasting relevancy
and that the revitalized Silk Road project, connecting London and Peking, will
stand at the center of change in the field of transportation, energy, commerce
and other fields.
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Deputy Prime Minister Cevdet Yılmaz
Deputy Prime Minister Cevdet
Yılmaz also gave speech during the opening of the B20 Turkey Conference hosted
by TOBB.
Stressing the importance of
inclusiveness, implementation and investment, Yılmaz detailed their work in
regards to SMEs, the World SME Forum founded in cooperation with the
International Chamber of Commerce, the SME Joint Financing Action Plan as well
as the driving force behind growth, investments and their effects on
sustainable growth.