13.11.2015 Antalya
At the signature ceremony between the World SME Forum and OECD, TOBB President and B20 Chair M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the World SME Forum would act as the voice of all SMEs.
As a part of the G20 meetings taking place in the Belek Tourism Zone in
Antalya, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the World SME Forum
and OECD. Signing the memorandum were TOBB President and B20 Chair M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, OECD Secretary
General Angel Gurria and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary
General John Danilovich.
In his keynote
speech, “B20 China SME Agenda,” TOBB President and B20 Chair M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the World SME Forum is a first for both G20 and the
world; that it will act as the voice of all SMEs.
Stating that this
will enable SMEs to present a consolidated and unified voice on the global
scale for the first time, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the World SME Forum is an
inclusive global representation mechanism.
- Non-profit Forum
Pointing out the fact
that the forum is a non-profit, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the organization’s
mission is one of research, consultancy, protecting the rights of SMEs on a
global scale as well as connecting the SMEs of various countries.
Reporting that SMEs
generate two thirds of all employment in the world, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“However SMEs have no
mechanism to voice their concerns and preserve their rights; international
organizations are monopolized by large companies. Now, WSF will bring down this
monopoly. This is an important enterprise. SMEs are faced with many issues
including finding personnel, access to finances as well as integration into the
global value chain and finding opportunities for growth and markets. That is
why a mechanism like the WSF has become necessary and it has been established
to bring SMEs to the forefront of the global economy.”
Emphasizing that they
want WSF to be a permanent fixture of G20, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Only this will
enable SMEs to have the voice and importance they deserve.”
- “We believe that China will adopt this mechanism”
TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they believe B20 China will adopt this mechanism,
“We are glad to be working with our Chinese colleagues with their experience
and success in regards to SMEs. We wish China which will be chairing G20 next
year, as well as the Chinese International Commerce Development Council who
will be chairing B20.”
- OECD Secretary General Gurria
Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development Secretary General Angel Gurria said,
“There is a crunch in global markets; this is reducing financial options. This
is affecting SMEs the most who are the ones depending on financial
opportunities and abundance.”
Stressing the
importance of SMEs for Turkey, Gurria emphasized that they are trying to
integrate SMEs into the global value chain; stating that this is possible only
through increased use of technology.
- Turkey’s work will endure
B20 China Sherpa Yu
Ping stated that Turkey’s B20 Term has been very successful, that the policies
put forth have been very inclusive and the SMEs voice is heard much louder.
Ping stated that
their priority for the G20 summit to be held next year under China’s
chairmanship will be to preserve the work Turkey has achieved with B20,
promoting growth of commerce and investments in the global economy, development
of the infrastructure to increase the productivity of economic and financial
governance as well as the promotion of inclusive and compliant growth through
mutually beneficial cooperation.