11.12.2019 Gaziantep
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the Stars of Gaziantep Award Ceremony and presented awards to the industrialists who gave strength to the city's economy. TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, expressed his support for Gaziantep Chamber of Industry’s ' industry transformation begins' campaign and tweeted on the issue.
In
addition to TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Gaziantep Governor David
Gul and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry President Adnan Ünverdi attended the
award ceremony held at the Martyr Kamil Cultural Center with the contributions
of Gaziantep Chamber of Industry.
In
his speech, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that unity and solidarity
are behind the success in Gaziantep, and that the tight-knit actions of the city
makes it a brand city.
- The star of the region: Gaziantep
Stating
that Gaziantep is a symbol of Turkey's transformation in the last 35 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “I remember 35 years ago there was nothing in Gaziantep. People used to
go shopping in Adana. Now it is the star not only of Turkey, but of the whole region.
I say clearly Gaziantep has been the role model and driving force of the whole region.
Not only Turkey, cities in foreign countries are following the example of
Gaziantep.
Turkey's
exports have increased by 65% in the last 10 years. Gaziantep's exports
increased by 160% during the same period. Gaziantep exports $7.5 billion
annually. It became a brand not only in industry but in agriculture. It ranked
fifth in agricultural exports.
Gaziantep
has taken a great leap forward in tourism. It has become a world brand both in
history, cultural tourism and gastronomy tourism. It is on UNESCO's list. Additionally
it has made a breakthrough in technology. Gaziantep Technopark was voted the
second fastest-growing technopark.
Now,
2020 Technofest will be held in Gaziantep. Now the city is making a
breakthrough in e-commerce. It's also becoming the center of electronic
commerce. The city, top to bottom, with its people and its economy is a brand
in and of itself. Gaziantep has done all this in 35 years.”
- Praise for the chambers and commodity
exchanges in Gaziantep
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stressed that Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, Chamber of Commerce, Commodity
Exchange, Nizip Chamber of Commerce and the Commodity Exchange are accredited,
5-star chambers and exchanges. Hisarcıklıoğlu said he believes the Islahiye
Chamber of Commerce will soon be accredited as well.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
summarized the work of chambers and stock exchanges: “Gaziantep Chamber of
Industry established a Vocational Training Center and ranked at the World
Chambers Congress. They established a Women Entrepreneur Support Center. SME
Transformation Center is being established. In addition to the 6 OIZs, 2 more
are under construction. Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce is carrying out the
EU-Turkey Trade Integration Project and the e-export mobilization project. They’ve
established the Academy of Gastronomy. They won the project competition at the
World Chambers Congress. Gaziantep Commodity Exchange is establishing the licensed
pistachio warehouse. They are setting up Meat Exchange. Gaziantep's products
are owned and branded. They received the geographic markers for 12 products. It
is the Commodity Exchange with the most geographic markers in Turkey.
We
also benefit from the experience of my Presidents of Gaziantep in Ankara.
Gaziantep Chamber of Industry President Adnan Ünverdi: Vice President of the
Council of Chambers of Industry. Gaziantep CI Council Speaker Adil Konukoğlu
are providing their experience in the TOBB General Executive Board, TOBB
Arbitration Court, Council of Chambers of Industry, TOBB Investment Incentive
Workgroup. Gaziantep CC President Mehmet Tuncay Yıldırım: Vice-President of the
Council of Chambers of Commerce, member of TOBB High Coordination Committee. He
is a member of KOSGEB General Administrative Board. Gaziantep CC Council Member
Gülseren Hülya Akkaya: TOBB Women's Studies Board Chair. Gaziantep CE President
Mehmet Akıncı: Member of the Council of Commodity Exchanges. Gaziantep CE
Council Speaker Ahmet Tiryakioğlu: Member of the TOBB General Administrative
Board. At the Board of Directors of Lidaş, TOBB Agriculture and Livestock Workgroup.
Nizip CC President Mehmet Özyurt: In the Council of Chambers of Commerce. Nizip
CE President Ibrahim Sarı: Turkish National ICC Committee Board Member.
Selahattin Turkmen, President of Islahiye CC: Vice President of TOBB R&D
Innovation Board.”
- What has TOBB done recently?
Stressing
that TOBB and Chamber-Exchange community are working to support the business
world and facilitate business, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that, working with the
government, they have enacted reforms that improve the business and investment
environment in the country. Hisarcıklıoğlu summed up these works:
“According
to the World Bank Doing Business Index, we were ranked 60th in the world in
2018, first to 43rd in 2019 and to 33rd this year. This is the first time in
our history that we've been so high. We, as TOBB, undertook the coordination of
the private sector in this business. We have developed solutions to the
problems that come from you and our members and put them on the YOIKK agenda.
Now the goal is to be one of the top 20 countries, that's what we're working
for. On the other hand, together with our Minister of National Education, we
have started an initiative that we have always dreamed of in vocational
education. Our rooms will match with a vocational high school in each province,
where they will have a say. For example, our school in Gaziantep was Mehmet
Akif Ersoy Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. Gaziantep was
already an exemplary city in vocational education. Thanks to this new
cooperation, I hope that we will raise vocational education to the highest
level all over Turkey.
We
had a big complaint in the judicial system. Even the simplest case didn't end
in less than a year.
Together,
we have enabled our Minister of Justice to activate the mediation system. First
in worker-employer disputes, then in commercial cases, mediation was made
mandatory. The number of files here has reached 1 million. Of these, 65-70%
resulted in an agreement. The trials that used to last for years ended in days
and weeks. And what happens if you don't agree on mediation? Then come to the
TOBB Arbitration instead of the court. Resolve in 6 months at the latest. It's
cheaper and faster than the court. All you have to do is write 'TOBB
Arbitration is authorized in the event of a dispute' in your contract.
Again,
there was one thing we've been working on for a long time: Commercial credit
insurance. We've made sure that steps are taken. Sixteen insurance companies
are now providing this service. One major complaint was the POS commissions. We
lobbied for it with our chambers. We have introduced an upper limit of 1.60%
for POS commissions. In order to bring more women entrepreneurs to our country,
our board of women entrepreneurs has started many new projects. We worked with
Google, Turkcell, Facebook, Coca-Cola and Amazon. We taught thousands of women
e-commerce and entrepreneurship and taught them how to code. And our women
worked with great determination.
In
the last 10 years, we have doubled the number of women entrepreneurs.”
TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu underlining that there is nothing that cannot be
accomplished when we join hands; when public-private sectors work together;
when consultation and common cause prevails, urged everyone to not alienate
each other.