02.10.2023 Ankara
After the earthquake disaster in 11 provinces, the “Earthquake Impact Analysis and Reporting Study of the Manufacturing Sector” prepared by Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO) and the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), which includes the short, medium and long term road map of the manufacturing industry in the region, was introduced at a meeting hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB).
In his speech at the
opening of the meeting, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that we
experienced a terrible earthquake disaster on February 6 and said, “As in every
national issue, we quickly took action as the Chamber and Commodity Exchange
Community in this process. We sent 36,000 tons of food, 3,900 containers, 6,000
tents, more than 100,000 heaters, 817,000 blankets and 530 tons of fuel oil,
551 construction machines and mobile cranes. We established food kitchens at 24
points and distributed hot meals to 3.5 million people. In the next stage, we
organized a campaign to meet the need for permanent housing in the region. We
transferred all the financial resources we had to this work.”
Explaining that they
have prepared various initiatives to revitalize the economy and employment in
the region, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “With the My Supplier from the Earthquake
Region Program, we matched companies that want to buy goods from the earthquake
region with producers in the earthquake region. We directed National Food
Retailers to supply from the earthquake region. In the earthquake region, we
ensured that the agricultural and food products remaining in the hand,
warehouse and field were purchased by national market chains. We ensured that
the Trade Marketplaces support the producers in the Earthquake Region. We
enabled the sellers in the earthquake region to sell without commission in
e-commerce marketplaces.”
Stating that the aid
provided by the state and the nation is important, necessary and valuable,
Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that on the other hand, it is necessary to ensure
that the people in the earthquake zone stand on their own feet by producing and
trading.
Stating that the latest
figures on employment show a striking decrease in the number of employees in
the region, especially in 4 provinces, TOBB President continued as follows:
“Hatay was the province where the earthquake had the most negative impact on
employment. The number of private sector employees in Hatay decreased by 35
percent. In other words, one out of every 3 people is no longer working.
Registered employment, which was 165,000 last year, dropped to 107,000 this
year. This means that 58,000 people quit or lost their jobs. The number of
employees in the private sector in Kahramanmaraş decreased by 29 percent. The
number of employees dropped from 147,000 to 104,000. In Malatya, it decreased
from 95,000 to 71,000. In other words, one out of every 4 people who used to
work is no longer employed. Private sector employment in Adıyaman also
decreased from 55,000 to 48,000.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that the way to revive cities is to revitalize the economy and said, “Gaziantep
and our Chamber of Industry have taken action and started to work with this
vision. In addition to our public and private sector institutions, it has
implemented a very important work with the support and contributions of
international organizations.
The report, which will
be presented today, is of great value as a road map for our industry in the
earthquake zone and is of reference quality. It lists what needs to be done in
the short, medium and long term, outlines concrete policy steps for local and
regional development, and sets out constructive recommendations for our
institutions on what steps should be taken.
I congratulate and
heartily congratulate our regional Chambers and Commodity Exchanges,
Ministries, Governors, Mayors, United Nations team, TSE, KOSGEB, TÜBİTAK and
Development Agencies, especially Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, who have made
great efforts in this comprehensive work.”
Pointing out that
Gaziantep is one of the most important industrial production centers not only
in the region but also in Türkiye, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “It is a city with a
branded name. Last week, Türkiye's Top 500 Industrial Enterprises were
announced by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry. 28 companies from Gaziantep were
among the first 500 companies. I would like to thank all our companies that
make Gaziantep proud with their success in production, export and employment
despite all the difficulties they face and wish them continued success.
Gaziantep has become a
leading city not only in the field of industry but also in the field of
gastronomy and has been awarded the title of UNESCO City of Gastronomy. It has
also become a pioneer, example and role model in geomarked products. The
registration of the geographical indication of Antep Baklava, the first EU
registered product of our country, was realized by our Gaziantep Chamber of
Industry. As a result of our Chambers and Commodity Exchange's ownership of
this work, Gaziantep has ranked first in Türkiye in this field with 102 geomarker
registered products. This figure is more than the total number of registered
products in many European countries today.
Finally, I would like
to end my speech by saying this: Let's not be discouraged. Let us trust
ourselves and our country. We have overcome many adversities in the past.
Hopefully, we will leave this behind by being united and together.”
- “Production, exports and employment must continue”
GSO President Adnan
Ünverdi said, “Our wound is very fresh and despite all our pain, we have to
somehow heal our wounds psychologically and socially and recover by repairing
the damage to our economy.”
Reminding that the
total exports of the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake last year amounted
to 20.510 billion dollars, Ünverdi said, “A total of 47,581 companies are
manufacturing in these provinces. According to 2021, the total number of
employment in our 11 provinces is 3 million 841,000 people. The share of the
earthquake zone in total employment is 13.3 percent. Despite such a large
business volume, there was migration to other provinces with the effect of the
earthquake, fear and anxiety, and serious job losses were experienced.”
Ünverdi said that in
order to get back on its feet, production, exports and employment must
continue, and that both the public and private sectors are making an
extraordinary effort in this direction.
Stating that they have
determined that there is a need for a road map in order to carry out the
process effectively in terms of both production and employment, to prevent loss
of time, to analyze correctly and to reach the result quickly, Ünverdi said
that in this direction, “earthquake impact analysis and reporting study of the
production sector” was carried out by Gaziantep Chamber of Industry and
IOM.
Adnan Ünverdi noted the
following: “With the report, for 5 of the 11 provinces affected by the
earthquake (Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Malatya, Adıyaman, Antakya provinces), it
is aimed to reveal the situation of enterprises operating in the production
sector and their employees affected by the earthquakes and to create
short-medium and long-term action plans for the industrial structuring and
improvement processes of the region together with these provinces.
In the study, a
questionnaire for the owners or officials of the producer companies, a
questionnaire for the employees of these companies, qualitative interviews were
conducted with the chambers affiliated to the Union of Chambers and Commodity
Exchanges of Türkiye, of which the producer companies are members, and relevant
institutions and organizations.”
Ünverdi said that as a
result of this effort, time and work, 5 provincial reports were prepared,
including green transformation, digitalization, lean production and efficiency
elements, short, medium and long term action plans and project proposals, and a
regional report covering all provinces, again including short, medium and long
term action plans and project proposals.
- “The earthquake had a big impact on the production
sector”
IOM Türkiye Mission
Chief Gerard Karl Waite reminded that 8 months have passed since the
devastating earthquakes and said that the earthquake had a great impact on the
production sector.
Pointing out the
importance of seeing the whole picture in order to create the targeted recovery
support in reconstruction after the earthquake, Waite said:
“The report takes a
close look at how the manufacturing sector was affected in the 5 provinces most
affected by the earthquake. It includes information on the economic aftermath,
vulnerabilities within the supply chain and the impact on the workforce. It
highlights the importance of resilience infrastructure and outlines the
opportunities for innovation as businesses adopt new technologies. This report
provides short-, medium- and long-term recommendations on how to sustainably
revitalize the manufacturing sector.”
- “We draw on the power of our state and humanity”
Gaziantep Governor
Kemal Çeber also stated that the earthquake caused great destruction and said,
“It was a very difficult and difficult event to overcome, but I leave it to
everyone's appreciation where we have come from in the past 7-8 months. Our
strength and power as a country is very important. We also saw humanity in that
region and showed solidarity. We are currently experiencing a process in which
nearly 20,000 demolitions continue in Gaziantep alone, there are no tent cities
left in, every citizen received container homes, and every need is met. We are
using the power of our state and humanity.”
Following the speeches,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esin Sarıoğlu and Dr. Fatih Balcı presented the project result
reports.