05.10.2019 Tashkent / Uzbekistan
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu participated in the opening of the Turkish Business and Investment Forum and gave a speech in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan.
In
his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that they are a single nation spanning 6
different countries. “We boast an economic volume 1.1 trillion USD, 560 billion
USD foreign trade volume and a population 160million. So when we get together,
we become a global force. On the other hand, when we look at our trade with
each other, we cannot reach a large volume. The trade of 6 countries with each
other has reached only 9 billion USD. It is in our hands to increase this
figure again. Because trade means development and people's prosperity. Hopefully,
together with the Turkic CCI, this figure will increase rapidly.”
Reporting
that Turkey has invested approximately 15 billion USD into the Turkic Council
member countries, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the investment of said countries into
Turkey is about 8 billion USD. Additionally, Turkish contractors have taken on 970
projects valued at a total of 39 billion USD and that they want to increase
these figures.
Hisarcıklıoğlu,
stating that Turkey offers investment opportunities in many areas of trade,
said, “We are a part of the Customs Union with the EU, also have FTAs with 19
countries. We are among the most important suppliers in Europe in many sectors
such as automotive, home appliances, textiles, construction materials. 80% of
cars produced in Turkey, 70% of home appliances, of machinery are exported to
Europe. We are among the most important producers in Europe in food, cement,
shipbuilding and chemistry.”
Noting
that Turkey ranks second in overseas construction sector in the world, Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that in the last year, Turkish companies have undertaken 261 projects abroad
valued at 19 billion USD, in a myriad of fields including power plants,
highways, tunnels, bridges, military and industrial facilities, at the highest
quality and at appropriate costs.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that Turkey is the world's second largest importer of petrochemicals,
petrochemical products, offering great opportunities to investors.
- “We must write an EU-like success
story”
Underlining
Turkey's developed infrastructure providing access to and Europe, Africa and
Central Asia thanks to its central geographical position, its investor-friendly
legislation, attractive business and investment opportunities, the TOBB
President went on, “In many areas, we can make joint trade and investment. We
can also work together in third countries. China, for example, is among the
world's largest food importers, importing 120 billion USD of food each year. By
acting together, especially in food and other sectors, we can be much more
active in the Chinese market.
There's
another reason I'm constantly emphasizing trade. Whichever country is
developing in the world, has done so by increasing trade. Look where Europe
came to from the ruins of 2 great world wars. They established economic unity
among themselves, ended conflicts and wars, thus increasing trade and prospering
together. Why trade? Because trade is the biggest source of peace and
prosperity. Therefore, we must first remove trade barriers between our
countries and increase trade with each other.
We
have to write an EU-like success story. For example, people do not trade in countries
they have difficulty accessing, but in countries they can easily reach. After
trade is established, they’ll invest and establish partnerships. So, we need to
identify and remove any obstacles that make trade difficult, such as visas. Believing
and beginning are the first half of the journey; let’s take the first step, the
rest will follow.”
Stating
that, “As the Turkish private sector, we want to do more business and
investment with you,” Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “There is a wide field suitable for this.
We established the Turkic CCI in order to realize this potential. If the people
of this geography are to prosper, the businessmen of this geography will make
it happen. So we have to work together, rise together. Let's act and win as brothers.
We should both develop our bilateral trade and open to cooperating in third
countries through joint investments. I believe that this forum will contribute
to us in this direction.”
- “We must increase trade
relations”
Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Uzbekistan, Cemşid Koçkarov, recalled
that the country is carrying out extensive reforms in the structural and
economic fields and that important works have been carried out to improve the
business and investment environment of the country. Koçkarov reported that
foreign investment has increased by 22%, reaching 34 billion USD, while the
number of foreign capital establishments has tripled, reaching 8,000.
Speaking
at the forum, the Secretary General of the Turkic Council Baghdad Amreyev
stressed the importance of Uzbekistan's membership in the Turkish Council and
said, “This decision of the President of Uzbekistan, Shevket Mirziyoyev, is a
historic decision. We are very pleased that this decision coincides with the 10th
anniversary of the signing of the Nakhichevan Agreement and the 7th Summit
of the Turkic Council. The relations between Uzbekistan and other
Turkish-speaking countries will expand further under the unifying banner of the
Turkic Council.”
Amreyev
said that the common purpose of the forum gatherings was to further improve the
economies of Turkic-speaking countries and the commercial-economic and other
relations between these countries, adding that he believes the forum will be
useful.
President
of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan Adham Ikramov recalled
that President Mirziyoyev proposed to hold a Turkic Business and Investment
Forum in Tashkent at the 6th Turkic Council Summit held in
Cholpan-Ata city of Kyrgyzstan last year.
Expressing
that Turkic-speaking countries are important trade partners of Uzbekistan,
Ikramov recalled that more than 2,500 foreign enterprises were established in
Uzbekistan today with the participation of businessmen of these countries.
In
addition to TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan
Elyor Ganiyev, Secretary General of the Turkic Council Bagdat Amrayev,
Ambassadors; Adham Ikramov, Chairman of ASK Mammad Musayev, Azerbaijan,
Kyrgyzstan CCI President Marat Sarsekeeva, Turkey's leading businessmen, Hungarian
CCI representative as well as exchange / chamber presidents also attended the
Forum.