17.01.2017 Doha / Qatar
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), stated that Turkey and Qatar should combine the forces of Turkey. “You have the money and we have the entrepreneurial spirit. Let’s combine these two souls. Let’s make the world accept Turkish-Qatari partnership with the Made in Qatar brand.”
The 2nd SME
Conference was held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Speaking at the opening of
the conference, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci
could not participate in the conference activity due to negotiations on the
constitutional amendment proposal at the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said
that they are working with the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in great
harmony on many platforms. He said that they are committed to further work with
Qatar.
Emphasizing that the
bilateral relations could be increased by signing a cooperation agreement,
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that 400 businesspeople, leaders of their sectors, from
Turkey and Qatar, have come together for the conference.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that bilateral business negotiations will be held in 7 main sectors during the conference,
and pointed out that this meeting will establish profitable partnerships for
the future.
Stating that Turkey
passed an important test on July 15th, Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out
that Qatar was the first country to support Turkey after the Fetullah Terrorist
Organization's (FETO) coup attempt.
Hisarcıklıoğlu, who
reminded Qatari leaders that in visiting Turkey following the coup, they gave
the greatest support in fighting with FETO, “A Turkish proverb says, ‘Friends
become apparent in dark days,’ we will never forget those who stood with us in
our dark days. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all our Qatari
friends, especially the Amir of Qatar, on behalf of the Turkish business community.”
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu
emphasized that the relations between Turkey and Qatar have reached a very
important point in recent years and went on:
“Do you know how many
brothers and sisters came to Qatar from Turkey 15 years ago? Only 600 people
per year; you did not hear falsely. Now that number is 36,000. 15 years ago our
bilateral trade volume was only 15 million USD, increasing 50 times over,
reaching 700 million USD. Qatar's capital invested in our country 15 years ago
was only 15 million USD while it is 1 billion USD today. Turkish companies did
not have a name in Qatar, our companies today have a total project volume of 14
billion USD in Qatar. Our businessmen have started to make important
investments here. We will open a Turkish hospital today. These are really great
numbers, very important developments but surely we are only at the beginning. We
will do great work. We welcome the great investments made in our country and
the opportunities offered to Turkish contractors by Qatar, and now we want to go
far beyond that.”
- “Allah will call us to account”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that Turkey has become an entrepreneurial country, achieving growth through the
private sector. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We will unite our forces, we have a great
deal of experience and entrepreneurial power, the biggest thing we have not got
and which Qatar has is investment capital and cheap energy. Let’s bring the
projects together; you have money, we have the entrepreneurial spirit. Let’s
make the world accept Turkish-Qatari partnership with the Made in Qatar brand.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that Allah gave a terrific geography to Islamic countries, “Despite all these
possibilities, our share of the world's wealth is only 10.2% while the USA
boasts 25% and China 15%. Even worse, 21 of the world’s 48 poorest countries are,
unfortunately, Islamic countries. I’ll say it plainly, God will call us to account
for this.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointed out that the Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and the Gulf
Cooperation Council has been waiting for years to pass,
“If this step is
taken, one of the most important tasks to strengthen trade between Turkey and
Qatar will have been accomplished. We want to conclude this business
immediately; we expect the same approach from the Gulf countries. The second is
the TIPS-OIC We’ve only a little ways to go to put this agreement into effect, once
the Gulf States update their concession lists and we expect our Qatari friends to
lead the way.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu also
stated that the opening of a Turkish hospital will be held in Qatar.
Sheikh Khalifa bin
Casim Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Chamber of Industry and Commerce, emphasized
the need to further develop relations between the two countries.
Following the
speeches, Al-Thani and Hisarcıklıoğlu signed the TOBB-Qatar Chamber of Commerce
and Industry Cooperation Agreement.