16.08.2016 Tehran / Iran
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the Economic Cooperation Organization Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ECO CCI) 21st Executive Council meeting. Hisarcıklıoğlu said in his speech that the Turkish economy has overcome its most difficult test to date, coming out stronger following the coup attempt.
Expressing his
gratitude to the organization members who voiced their support for Turkey and
democracy against the Fetullahist terror organization, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that Turkey has come out of this process stronger despite the difficulties it
faced.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“On the one hand, we
continue to host 3 million Syrian refugees; fighting PKK and DAESH terror
organizations on the other. On top of this, there was a coup attempt on the 15th
of July. Despite all of this, the economy did not experience any negative
effects. The Turkish economy has overcome its most difficult test to date,
coming out stronger following the coup attempt.
Stating that the goal
of the putschists and those behind them was to destabilize the region even more
as well as preventing development and growth, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized the
need to see the bigger picture better and the need for prosperity in the
region.
- “Brothers don’t need visas to visit”
TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu drew attention to the potential of ECO which was formed in 1985
for regional development by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan as well as joined by
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in
addition to Afghanistan following the fall of the Soviet Union.
Stating that despite
this the organization is underutilized, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“16% of global
petroleum reserves and 24% of proven natural gas reserves are in ECO lands. We
stand at the energy and trade corridor of the world. Half of the world
population is neighbors to ECO countries. We own extremely bountiful lands. We
have extraordinary human resources as well as cultural heritage. Despite all of
these advantages, our share of the global trade volume is only 2%.”
Stressing the
importance of lifting visas between ECO countries, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “While
Turkey requires no visas from almost all ECO countries, our citizens can enter
only a handful of ECO countries without the need for a visa. We must bring an
end to this mistake.Brothers don’t need visas to visit.”
- Aiming to develop regional trade
The Economic
Cooperation Organization Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ECO CCI) 21st
Executive Council meeting held at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce on “Private
Sector Coordination of Member Countries Active in the Fields of Energy and
Petrochemicals” will last two days. Attending the opening session of the
meeting in addition to Hisarcıklıoğlu were Mohammad Nahavandian, Chief of Staff
of the President of Iran, ECO Secretary General Halil İbrahim Akça, ECO CCI and
Pakistan Chambers Federation Chair Abdurrauf Alim, ECO CCI Vice Chair Azerhaş
Hafizi, Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mining and Agriculture Deputy
Chair Gulamhüseyin Şafii.
ECO was formed in
1985 for regional development by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan as well as joined by
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in
addition to Afghanistan following the fall of the Soviet Union with the goal of
contributing to the development of member countries, eliminating trade barriers
and developing regional trade as well as integrating the region with global
markets and strengthening the cultural and historical ties between its members.