30.10.2018 Kırıkkale
Turkey Defense Industry Council Meeting was held at the Kırıkkale Mechanical and Chemical Industry with the participation of the Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and Turk-İş President Ergun Atalay.
TOBB
President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu started his speech by celebrating the 95th
anniversary of the Republic.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
expressed his gratitude to the Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar for his
participation in the meeting. “We are grateful to him for fulfilling this great
responsibility in these difficult times. Now, as the first Minister of National
Defense of the Presidential Government System, he also assumed an important
role. I would like to express our gratitude to Minister Akar for his devoted
efforts for the indivisible integrity of our homeland and security of our
nation. As the 81 million, we can do business safely, if we can live peacefully
in our homes; we owe this to our Turkish Armed Forces and security organization.
May Allah grant our army, our security forces victory in all their battles.”
Stating
that the national and spiritual value of the Machinery and Chemical Industry
Agency is of the highest order, the TOBB President said, “Since the early years
of the Republic, a significant part of the ammunition used by our army has been
produced in this facility. Therefore, I would like to thank Mr. Mehmet Ünal,
Deputy General Manager of MKE, for being a most gracious host. I also thank the
Turkey Defense Industry Sector Council President and the valuable council members.
They, as the public-private sector consultation platform, are working with
great solemnity and devotion. They had a big share in the growth and
development of our sector. May Allah bless them all.”
TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the world has become a less secure place
in the last 10 years and added, “According to the World Peace Index, the global
peace environment has been shrinking for 4 years consecutively. There are
conflicts in 44 countries, 35 of them are in Islamic countries. In many
countries, a constant perception of threat from international terrorism
prevails. Even the most developed countries of the world suffer from a great
deal of terrorism.
Look,
I say this everywhere: There is no trade where there is no peace. There is no
wealth in the absence of trade. The world needs to be a safer place to become a
richer place. But no matter how strong, no country can establish world peace on
its own. I regret to express that the international community, particularly
NATO and the UN, has failed to fulfill expectations.
Permanent
solutions have not been produced for conflicts. Here we see our region is a
ring of fire. The last 10 years, more than 50% of human deaths in armed
conflicts in the world have occurred in two countries bordering Turkey, Iraq
and Syria. Turkey fighting PKK, Daesh and FETO terrorist organizations
domestically, has also had to maintain border security. In this context, Afrin,
Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch Operations were performed successfully. I
would like to once again express my gratitude to our army and to our Minister.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “Turkish Aviation and Defense Industry turnover increased from 1.8
billion dollars in 2006 to 7 billion dollars in 2017. We are on the list of the
world's biggest defense companies. The domestic coverage ratio of our military
equipment increased from 25% in 2003 to over 60% in 2017. We have also advanced
in global competition. Defense industry sector exports increased from 480
million dollars in 2006 to 1.7 billion dollars in 2017. I am proud of the
architects of this success, our Ministry of Defense, our General Staff, our
Defense Industry Directorate and our companies.
Without
the public sector support, the private sector would not have been able to
accomplish this success alone, without the determination and diligence of the
private sector. Of course we won't be satisfied with these achievements.
Turkish defense industry; In the areas of production, export and technology
development, it has the potential to achieve much more than it has ever done.
Look, Mehmet Akif said very well: ‘Those who catch up, crush the sleepers on
the road. There is no right to life for those who stagnate. Humanity does not
stop. If you stop, you will definitely be crushed.’
We
need to focus on the trademark of the new Industrial Revolution, developing
unique technologies in areas such as advanced materials, artificial
intelligence and cyber security. In this period, it is not enough to make
efficient use of, and process metals to a high quality. Whatever we are
producing, we have to integrate technology. At this point we must act together.
The public administration should trust and support us. The big players of the
sector and the SMEs located around them should act together. No organization
can perform all stages of its final product alone, no matter how large it is.
It is very important here that our defense sector companies incorporate SMEs
into their production processes to the maximum extent. Today, we will discuss
how we can increase the share of SMEs from defense industry contracts.”
Stating
that they want to convey an important issue to the government through Minister
Akar, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I had recently stated similar to the President.
There is a slowdown in the market, money is not cycling. To overcome this
challenge, we expect bold and decisive steps. We believe that it will be
beneficial to give support to the sectors that have a high share in trade,
exports and employment. In this way, both economic activity will revive, the
morale of citizens and companies will rise.”
- Minister Akar
National
Defense Minister Hulusi Akar also stated that, “Our point of operation after Manbij
will be our field of work regarding the
terrorist targets in the east of the Euphrates.”
Akar
stated that there are a variety of problems in the Turkey’s region which cannot
be ignored.
Referring
to the process reached in Idlib, Minister Akar pointed out President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan's initiative and talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin had
culminated in the signing of a memorandum in Sochi.
Stressing
that promises regarding Manbij have not fulfilled, Minister Akar stated that a roadmap
has been prepared.
- Ergün Atalay
Türk-İş
Chairman Ergün Atalay said, “Every day, an average of 5 workers lose their
lives in an accident at work. For simple reasons. The shoe on his feet, his
glasses and hat cost only 300 TRY. There are times when we can’t even afford
that.”
Atalay
stated that he represents a family of 4 million, of a million workers. Atalay
stressed the need to increase minimum wage to 2,000 TRY.
Kırıkkale
Governor Mehmet İlker Haktankaçmaz said, “MKEK is the owner of Kırıkkale; the
reason for the existence of Kırıkkale. Kırıkkale is the city that gives its
name to the weapon and the homeland of the weapon. The land allocations and works are in progress
for the Weapons Specialized Organized Industrial Zone.”
Prior
to the meeting, Minister Akar, TOBB President Hisarciklioglu and
Turkish-Business President Atalay MKE ate together with the workers and visited
the production facilities.