18.11.2019 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu met with the participants of the 22nd Turkish Speaking Entrepreneurs Program, urged increasing trade and cooperation. “The time for doing business by yourself is over. Whoever cooperates more, forms partnerships, wins.”
TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu, who met with 50 entrepreneurs from 19 countries, said
that they have met with over 900 entrepreneurs who can speak Turkish so far in
this project which was started in 2005. Noting that you can go from the
Atlantic to the Pacific by speaking Turkish, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “You will
find Turkish entrepreneurs all over the world. It's actually a big synergy.
It's all about networking. That's the purpose of this program. There's a
beautiful saying in our culture: grace and prosperity in unity; anguish in
dissent. If you come together you will find joy.”
- The path to prosperity is through
trade
Hisarciklıoğlu
emphasized that those who share the same feelings, rather than the same
language, understand each other. M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, who also briefed
guests on the structure and work of TOBB, said, “Even if you have military
power, you are not rich if you do not have economic power. 40 years ago, our
total exports were $3 billion. Most of it was agricultural products. The late
Özal opened our horizons. Today, Turkey is the largest industrial giant between
China and Italy. We have become exporting $170 billion a year. 92% of that is
industrial. We export more than 50% of our exports to the US and European
countries. One out of every 4 home appliances sold in Europe, one out of every
3 television sets is Turkish. Turkey is the country that sells the most cars to
Europe.”
The
TOBB President noted that the way to prosperity is to buy and sell goods, “Turkey
does not have natural gas, oil. Our only asset is our entrepreneurial spirit.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that this endeavor will not succeed without courage, and
said that money is not made without risk.