14.12.2018 Tashkent / Uzbekistan
The Union Chambers and Stock Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, stating that trading routes between Europe Asia and should be made safe and fast, said, “This would increase trade amongst ourselves in addition to becoming the center of trade between both Asia and Europe.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
attended the 25th Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Economic
Cooperation Organization Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECO CCI) organized
in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Attending
the meeting were members of the organization in Iran, Pakistan, Turkey,
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan; presidents and senior executives of commerce and industry chambers.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated in his speech that increasing cooperation in the region has become more
important than ever and stressed that the energy and trade corridors between
Asia and Europe pass through this region, which has oil and natural gas
resources.
Stating
that there is a very large market in the region where nearly 3.5 billion people
live, but the share they take from world trade is only around 2%, the TOBB
President said, “If we consider that our region has 6% of the world's
population, we are using only one third of our potential.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
emphasized that the trade routes in the region should be made safe and fast, “We
have to make our trade routes safe and fast. This would increase trade amongst ourselves
in addition to becoming the center of trade between both Asia and Europe. We
are looking for ways to move these goods faster. We are the bridge. We have
great opportunities ahead of us. If we cannot use this opportunity, trade will
be conducted through other paths and we will be the losers.”
At
the meeting, General Secretary of EIT CCI Adem Kula presented the 2018 activity
report of the secretariat.
As
a part of the meeting, the memorandum of cooperation between the ECO CCI and
the Turkish Business Council was signed.
Prior
to the meeting, Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the working dinner hosted by Baghdad
Amreyev, the Secretary General of the Council of Turkish Speaking Countries. At
the dinner, cooperation opportunities between the business world were
discussed.