02.11.2020 Baku Azerbaijan
The Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Turkic CCI) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu voiced the support of the Turkish business community to Azerbaijan during an extraordinary meeting of the Turkic CCI in Baku, which operates under the umbrella of the Turkish Council. “I invite the whole world to say 'stop' to the Armenian attacks. We, as the Turkish business community, will continue to stand by and support Azerbaijan in this righteous cause.”
At the meeting organized with the theme of “A
New Period of Social and Economic Development in Azerbaijan,” the Turkish world
business community said that Azerbaijan is ready to provide all kinds of
support that may be needed in the future for the development of its territory
saved from occupation and that it supports Azerbaijani brothers on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.
Turkic CCI and TOBB President M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu said in a speech here that they strongly condemn Armenia's
attacks on Azerbaijani civilians.
Hisarcıklıoğlu expressed pride in the Turkic
world for the progress made by the Azerbaijani army against the invading forces,
“Armenia's aggressive attitude and invasion of Azerbaijani territory is
unacceptable. This unjust occupation must end. I invite the whole world to say
'stop' to the Armenian attacks. We, as the Turkish business community, will
continue to stand by and support Azerbaijan in this rightful case.”
Reminding that the member countries of the
Turkic Council have a population of more than 150 million people and a national
income of 1.5 trillion dollars, Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that with the natural
resources of the Turkish world, it has become an important economic power in
its geography and it is important to evaluate this power.
Wishing victory to the Azerbaijani army under
the command of Ilham Aliyev, who heroically resisted and repelled the Armenian
attacks, mercy to the martyrs, rapid recovery for veterans, Hisarcıklıoğlu wished
patience to the people of brother Azerbaijan, thanked Memmed Musayev, who
invited them for a meeting of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the
President of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Economy, Ambassador Bagdat Amreyev,
The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan, Marat
Sharqeyev, and Adham Ikramov, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of Uzbekistan, and Ablay Myrzahhmetov, President of Kazakhstan’s National Chamber
of Entrepreneurs, who attended via video conference.
- We have arrived from Turkey with a large
delegation
Noting that they came to Azerbaijan with a
delegation consisting of the confederation of leading workers' and civil
servants' unions from Turkey, the confederation of employers' unions, the
confederation of trades chambers, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We wanted to emphasize
our support to Azerbaijan in every environment.
The heads of the organizations I mentioned are
also conducting their talks with their counterparts in Azerbaijan.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu also mentioned that they have made
significant headway for the institutionalization process of the Turkic Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, “We have reached the final point in our work with the
Ministry of Interior. Hopefully soon, the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and
Industry will become a structure with a legal entity. We have allocated a
suitable size space for the secretariat in the TOBB Istanbul office. In this
process I would like to thank everyone who supported it, especially Ambassador
Amreyev.”
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that he was
proud and delighted by the progress shown by the Azerbaijani army and
emphasized that he believes Azerbaijan will triumph and that Karabakh will be
liberated.
- Armenia's attacks are crimes against humanity
Armenia's invasion of Upper Karabakh and its
attacks targeting civilians are a crime against humanity contrary to
international law, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Armenia's aggressive attitude and
invasion of Azerbaijani territory is unacceptable. This unjust occupation must
end. I invite the whole world to say 'stop' to the Armenian attacks. We, the Turkish business community, will
continue to stand with Azerbaijan in this righteous cause. Under Mr. Aliyev's
leadership, Azerbaijan has achieved significant economic success. The economy
is developing rapidly, offering attractive business and investment
opportunities to investors. According to the World Bank's “Doing Business 2020”
report, Azerbaijan has risen to 34th place among the economy of 190
countries. The concept and policies set by Mr. Aliyev changed the face of
Azerbaijan. Baku has become one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. It
has become the commercial and cultural center of the region, a tourist destination.
As the Turkish world, we are proud of this stunning progress made by
Azerbaijan.”
- Hisarcıklıoğlu explained the opportunities
for cooperation in trade and economy
“We must increase our mutual trade and investments.
Unfortunately, despite all the well-intentioned initiatives, our countries are
still not sufficiently connected. Our transportation infrastructure is lacking
physically as well as in legislative terms.
Essentially, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Line is an important
opportunity to reduce logistical obstacles and reduce costs. With this line,
the trade route between our countries has been unified. However, we also know
that this alone is not enough. Transportation costs in the Caspar Corridor need
to be reduced. To do this, we must demand it from our Governments as a business
community.
We're right in the middle of the historic Silk
Road. We need to use the Middle Corridor more actively for our transports to
Central Asia and beyond. This corridor will give us a cost advantage in every
way. We must turn the Caspian Sea into the sea that unites us, not what
separates us. In this context, we should spread the transport lines between
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan at regular and competitive prices.
Our region holds a very important part of the world's hydro-carbon resources.
Hopefully, with reserves in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean, our
resources will be even richer. On the
other hand, if we look at the trade of members of the Turkish Council with the
world, the trade volume last year (including Turkmenistan) is 580 billion
Dollars. As a result of the outbreak, we expect a loss of 20% for 2020. In
2021, we hope to increase it again. As members of the Turkic Council, we are
not satisfied with the volume of trade among us. With the steps we will take in
the field of production, marketing and logistics, we have the opportunity to
significantly increase the trade among us. Essentially, we should aim for more
in trade and investments between our countries. To do this, we need to make the
investment environment more investor-friendly.”
- Trade is the key to wealth
Turkish entrepreneurs and Turkic Council member
countries have investments of close to $17 billion, said Turkic CCI and TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu, in the same way, the investments of member countries
of the Turkic CCI in Turkey are around 20 billion Dollars. In this total,
Azerbaijan has a very important share, Hisarcıklıoğlu noted, “Tens of thousands
of people are provided with these investments. We also have serious initiatives
in the service sector. Last year, the President of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shevket
Mirziyoyev, received me and my brother Adhem. He urged us to establish a
university in Tashkent as the TOBB University of Economics and Technology. Even at the peak of the epidemic, my brother
Ethem and I worked very hard. We finished our work in a very short time. Our
university is operational in Tashkent. I congratulate my brother Adhem Iramov,
who was appointed by the President as the first rector of the university. I'm following him; he's very interested in
the students. May Allah grant him a clear path. On the other hand, our
contractors undertook more than 1000 projects worth a total of $40 billion in
member countries of the Turkic Council. They
have successfully completed numerous prestigious projects. Hopefully, we will continue to undertake successful
projects together in the coming period.”
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that there will
be no peace and wealth without trade. We need to encourage our governments to
do so. Let's clear the way for trade. Let the goods and the people walk freely.”
- Other speakers
Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov
also gave information on Azerbaijan’s economy in his speech, while also stressing
the importance of increasing trade.
Jabbarov pointed to the importance of the
solidarity shown, saying that cooperation in the economy could be enlarged.
Amreyev, Secretary General of the Turkic
Council, said the countries of the Turkic Council have so far shown strong
solidarity and cooperation in the face of difficulties.
“This solidarity is above any appreciation,”
Amreyev said, confirming their sensitivity to solidarity with sister Azerbaijan
with all elements of the member states.
Amreyev stressed that the meeting was a badge
of growing awareness of brotherhood and developing relations between the
countries of the Turkic Council, and noted that the Turkish business community
has shown the world that it is with its Azerbaijani brothers on the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue.
Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Cabbarov,
Turkic Council Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign
Minister Ramiz Hasanov, Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu and officials of the Chambers of Commerce of Azerbaijan,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan attended the meeting.
In the meeting; Turkic Council Secretary
General, Ambassador Baghdad Amreyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Azerbaijan Ramiz Hasanov, President of the Confederation of Owners
of Azerbaijan Memmed Musayev, Kyrgyzstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
President Marat Sharşekeyev and Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
President Adham Ikramov also gave speeches. Ablay Myrzahhmetov, President of
Kazakhstan’s National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, was connected to the meeting via
video conference.