01.05.2019 Ankara
Service Honor Certificate and Plaques as well Project Awards were presented at the TOBB Conference Hall hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu with the participation of Vice President Fuat Oktay and Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan.
In
his speech at the ceremony, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that are
presenting awards to the finalists of the Chamber and Commodity Exchange
project competition and the delegates who’ve been serving the community for a
long time, “This is something we should be proud of. Our Chambers and Commodity
Exchanges have become veritable project factories. Working, producing, bringing
new works to their cities, providing more services to our members. Not just domestically,
they're also flying our flag international. We have a large number of Chambers
and Commodity Exchanges as well as women entrepreneurs at the ICC, at CACCI, creating
award-winning projects. This is the result of your hard work. I'm proud of you
all.”
- Chambers and commodity exchanges
are developing
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that chambers and exchanges are the main service centers of the real
sector and pointed out that the institutional service capacities of chambers
and exchanges have increased and become an exemplary model for the world.
Stating that they have realized the “Digital Chamber-Exchange” revolution and
become a one-stop shops, the TOBB President said, “As our chambers and
exchanges evolve, they provide better quality services to our private sector.
They enable our companies to grow and open up to the international markets. We
did all this through unity of hearts, minds and efforts. May Allah grant everlasting
success to all who toil for good of this country. We are the modern day representatives
of the ancient Akhi organization, who ‘wish only for patience and work with
reason and morality.’’ Our struggle is to be worthy of this blessed legacy which
our ancestors have passed down to us. We know it would not be fitting of us to only
complain, only demand. We identify problems, prepare solutions, consult with
the President, our Assembly and our Government.
We
all know, the economy has slowed down since August 2018. The depreciation of
our money, rising interest rates and inflation have all affected our business
negatively. Elections are now behind us.
We're
entering a period of four years without elections. Turkey's first agenda item
for this term should be the economy. There are so many steps to be taken. This
period should be a period of tranquility. This period should be a period of
structural reforms. This period should be time to work hand in hand for a more
prosperous and developed Turkey. Turkey is a strong country. As long as we
stand together. As long as we don't alienate each other. Let's embrace one
another. If we achieve this, it will eliminate many of the problems we
complained about. That's why we say: Our union is eternal, our agenda is
economy!”
- Hisarcıklıoğlu on May 1st
and Ramadan
Hisarcıklıoğlu
emphasized that they will continue to work on behalf of the Turkish private
sector as they have with YOIKK, Employment Mobilization, TOBB Respite Credits and
exports. He expressed their great pride in women and young entrepreneurs.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
also celebrated the May 1st Labor and Solidarity Day, “We celebrate this
day of all our laboring brothers who work and toil for our country.” Hisarcıklıoğlu,
who extended his condolences for the workers who lost their lives in a traffic accident
on their way to Şanlıurfa to celebrate May 1st. Pointing out that
this year's General Assembly is just before the month of Ramadan and said, “We
will be greeting Ramadan at a most difficult time for both humanity and the
Islamic world. No matter how hard the times are, the month of Ramadan means grace,
blessings and mercy. May our Ramadan be blessed.”
- Vice President Fuat Oktay
Vice
President Fuat Oktay, in his speech the Union of Chambers and Commodity
Exchanges of Turkey Service Honor Certificate Presentations ceremony, expressed
his pleasure in standing with the chambers and commodity exchanges community on
occasion of presenting TOBB delegates who completed their 10th, 20th
and 40th years of service with service honor certificates.
Conveying
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's greetings and well wishes to the participants,
Oktay stated that TOBB is a platform on which the heart of investment, employment,
labor and production in the country beats.
Emphasizing
that TOBB is an important stakeholder in putting into practice the reforms in
the economy, Oktay said, “The employment mobilization we initiated under the
leadership of TOBB in 2017 is the most concrete manifestation of this
cooperation. One million additional jobs were created with the employment
mobilization thanks to your efforts. I also find it meaningful to be together
with the representatives of a union, which knows the value of labor, provides
jobs and is an exemplar of solidarity on May 1st Labor and
Solidarity Day. I celebrate May 1st Labor and Solidarity Day of all
our workers.”
Oktay
stated that the country economic maneuvers will be strengthened with the increasing
numbers of entrepreneurs, gaining new dimensions.
Oktay
said that international actors’ desire to shape the world according to their
own interests, lawless interventions and massacring democracy in the name of
democracy render the flexibility and rapid mobility of business community and
exporters in world markets very important.
- Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan
In
her speech, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said that the economy rises on the shoulders
of the business world, That is why I believe that the best solutions to
problems will be created through cooperation with the business world, rising to
the league of high income economies with a more competitive and robust economy.”
Pekcan
participated in the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB)
75th General Assembly Service Honor Certificate and Plaque Presentation
Ceremony attended by Vice President Fuat Oktay.
Pekcan
stated that they have established consultative boards with the business world
since the day she took office, expressed the great importance put on consultation
and that they carefully evaluate the demands they receive. Pekcan said that the
Ministry so far has received around 2,400 requests, “1,156 of them concern our Ministry
while the rest are in the purview of other ministries. Only 150 of these were
rejected with the reason clearly stated. We have responded positive to the
other 1,056 requests. As for your other requests, we have forwarded them on to
the relevant ministries, having set up a coordination board to follow up on
these.”
Pekcan
stated that the ministry continues to offer significant contributions to the country’s
development and financing despite the protectionist tendencies increasing
throughout the world and the slowdown in global trade. Pekcan reminded that the
highest export figure in the history of the republic was in the past year, with
an increase in exports in the first 3 months of this year compared to last.
Pekcan also touched the ratio of exports to imports, reporting that last year finished
with 75% while this year has reached 80%.