06.04.2019 Ankara
The Turkey Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) President Rifat M. Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the Chamber / Exchange Councilor Briefing Seminar and met with council members.
Stating that they
decided to organize Council Members Information Seminars after the 2013 chamber
/ commodity exchange elections, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that a 4.8 out of 5
satisfaction rate has been achieved in regards to the seminars. In this context, Council Members Information Seminars have been renewed for 2018.
Stating
that they have been going through a difficult period since August 2018,
Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they’ve held 7 regional meetings with 365 chamber /
exchange presidents, listening to their problems. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that
the demands and problems of the Chambers and Commodity Exchanges were relayed to
all the ministers, as well as to the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
drawing attention to the two recent important meetings held, the first of which
is the TOBB Turkey Economy Summit with the participation of President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan in which problems were directly relayed to President Erdoğan and
relevant ministers. The second being the TOBB Turkey Sectoral Economy Council
in which the issues facing all sectors were relayed to the government.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
emphasized that TOBB and Chambers / Commodity Exchanges' task is to bring
together the members of the problem-solving group and the institutions that
will solve the problem.
Stating
that they’ve also met with the Turkey Banks Union in order to solve their
problems with banks, Hisarcıklıoğlu said they held 16 regional meeting, holding
individual meetings with approximately 9,000 people, providing solutions to 97%
of problems reported by them.
Noting
that the March 31st local elections are over and there are no
elections for 4.5 years, the TOBB President said that it is time to focus on
the economy.
Touching
on the banking system, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that interest rates will not fall
before the fall in inflation and that the savings in the banks are very low and
that there is a need for a reform in the banking sector.
- Two important trends
Speaking
in regards to two imp important trends in the world, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that
every year the world's population grows by twice the size Turkey’s population; stating
that currently 2 billion people are in the middle-income class, “Urbanization
is on the rise and along with it, the level of prosperity. As they leave the
rural spaces behind, the demand for consumption increases. This actually shows
why there is a need for those who you represent. Infrastructure, production and
distribution systems are necessary to meet this demand. Traders, industrialists
and the agricultural sector will be more important all over the world in the
coming period.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that the second important trend is the competition of cities. Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “When you go abroad and talk about Turkey they talk about Antalya or Istanbul.
Cities all over the world now come to the fore. It is a race between cities.
You are the opinion leaders of the city. There is only one solution to the development
and enrichment of the city and it is the private sector. You will be the ones
who will determine the route in the coming period.”
“The
most beneficent of people are those beneficent unto others,” said the TOBB
President and went on, “You are at a position to benefit others. If you can
provide employment and livelihood to another, bless you. Know the value of this
well.”