22.02.2019 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu met with council members at the Councilor Briefing Seminar.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that it was decided to hold these briefing seminars for the council members
following the Chamber / Commodity Exchange elections held in 2013, and said
that having received very positive feedback with a satisfaction rate of 4.8 out
of 5, they decided to hold further seminars with council members.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that they were going through a difficult period as the Turkish business
world, and that they’ve met with the 365 Chamber/Commodity Exchange Presidents
in 7 regional meetings, listening to the problems of the members.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the demands and problems from the chambers and commodity
exchanges were conveyed to all ministers, as well as to the President of the
Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Hisarcıklıoğlu said that they met
with the Turkey Banks Union and held meetings in 30 provinces in order to solve
the problems related to the banks, and that they had one-on-one meetings with
approximately 9,000 people and that 97% of issues brought up were resolved.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stating that there are two important trends in the world, reported that the
global population grows by twice that of Turkey’s population every year, and that
2 billion people are in the middle income class, “In 2020, this figure will be 3.2
billion, 5 billion in 2030. People in the world become urbanized, prosper and
change spending habits as they prosper with higher demands for consumption,
increasing as they leave rural areas. The consumption of this middle class is
about 7 trillion USD. By 2020, this will triple, and it will reach 20 trillion
USD. What does that show? This actually shows why you need the community which the
chambers and exchanges represent. We need infrastructure to meet this demand,
production needs, distribution needs. Merchants, industrialists and
agricultural sector will be more important all over the world in the future.”
Explaining
that the second important trend is the competition of cities Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “City economies are coming to prominence over countries, becoming brands.
All over the world, cities are now at the forefront. The race is between
cities. You are your city's opinion leaders. Today, the population of 600 large
cities in the world is 1.5 billion. The economic volume is 30 trillion USD.
Half the world economy is now in cities. The city is where the money is. In 10
years, the population of the cities will be 2 billion, with a total economic
volume of 64 trillion USD. That's 60% of the world economy. There is only one
solution for the further development and prosperity of the city, and it is the
private sector. You will be the ones who will determine this path in the future.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that this institution is the most democratic institution in Turkey; that
the power is at the base and that everyone is elected.
“The
best of people are those who benefit others,” said the president of TOBB and
went on, “You are in a position to benefit people. How great is it if you can
provide employment and food to just one person. Know well the value of it.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that he believes that the problems will be overcome and that this will
be achieved by not alienating each other. Hisarcıklıoğlu said that diversity is
the richness of this world, that there will be different ideas in chambers/commodity
exchanges, but that the problems will be solved through common mind.