22.02.2024 Ankara
Speaking at the Türkiye-US Greentech Tech Delegation Working Dinner, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), stated that they are working with the US Chamber of Commerce to improve business relations between the two countries and called on US investors to invest more in Türkiye.
The Türkiye-US
Greentech Tech Delegation Working Dinner was hosted by TOBB President M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu with the participation of Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa
Tuzcu, Senior Advisor to the US Presidential Special Envoy for Climate,
Ambassador David Thorne and Senior Vice President of the US Chamber of Commerce
Marty Durbin at TOBB Twin Towers.
In his speech, TOBB
President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that as the umbrella organization of
the Turkish business world, they prioritize Türkiye-US relations.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We think that Türkiye-US relations have three dimensions,
military-political and economic. We are happy that the economic pillar of our
relations is getting stronger. Economic relations will also provide serious
support to the Turkish-US military and political partnership. We are focused on
improving our commercial relations and providing a better investment and
business environment. Investments have become an important dimension of our
economic relations.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu said
that the US is the number one destination for Turkish investments abroad and that
Turkish companies have invested 9.7 billion dollars in the US.
Pointing out the
importance of mutual investment potential, Hisarcıklıoğlu continued as follows:
“We invite US investors
to invest more in Türkiye. We opened a trade center in Chicago to help
bilateral investment and trade. Bilateral trade volume reached a record high of
33 billion dollars in 2023 and the upward trend continues. Türkiye and the US
have set a target to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion, and this target
is achievable. The production capacity of the Turkish economy and Türkiye's
investment environment will help us reach this goal. We have many opportunities
for trade and investment. Türkiye has the largest industrial production volume
between Italy and China. We are the main supplier of automotive, white goods,
construction materials and apparel to Europe.”
- Trade should be more liberal
Stating that Türkiye is
among the top 5 most visited countries in the world in tourism, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that 42 of the world's leading 250 companies in global contracting
services are Turkish companies.
Underlining that trade
between the two countries should be more liberal, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“A free trade agreement
or a preferential trade agreement would pave the way for mutual trade. Türkiye
was excluded from the US generalized system of preferences for different
reasons. We should look for ways to reintegrate Türkiye into this system.
Another issue is Section 232. Türkiye's share of US steel imports fell in
2017-2022 due to these measures. We need your support to convince the US
administration to keep Türkiye out of the Section 232 measures. Another issue
is sanctions on Turkish products. We need to move past these issues and focus
on more trade and investment. We can add new products and sectors to our
partnership. The green technology mission will be an important step in this
direction. Green and digital transformation will be the engine of healthy and
sustainable economic growth.”
- Deputy Trade Minister Mustafa Tuzcu
Deputy Minister of
Trade Mustafa Tuzcu stated that Türkiye has serious potential in terms of green
economy and said, “We see that green is our future, we should cooperate more in
this field.”
At the Türkiye-US
GreenTech Delegation working meeting held at the Twin Towers of the Union of
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Tuzcu said that Türkiye has
good relations with the US. Stating that a green technology-oriented mission
will be a turning point for the advancement of relations, Tuzcu said, “We want
to further advance economic relations with the US.”
Mustafa Tuzcu said that
the taxes imposed on steel from Türkiye in the US should be abolished and that
Türkiye does not want to be part of the US problem on steel. Stating that this
issue does not reflect the friendship and cooperation of the two countries,
Tuzcu emphasized that Türkiye wants its status on the generalized system of
preferences back. Pointing out that Türkiye has serious potential in terms of
green economy, Tuzcu said: “There is a serious desire to implement the green
consensus initiative. A new Climate Law is being prepared in the Turkish Grand
National Assembly. We see that green is our future. This will also be
supplemented by digital transformation. Cooperation is very important here. There
are already some companies working together. Türkiye's renewable energy
capacity has recently become 53 percent of our total capacity. We should
cooperate more in this area. Climate change is an international problem and our
work must be international. Our cooperation will set an important example.”
At the Türkiye-US
GreenTech Delegation working meeting held at the Twin Towers of the Union of
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Tuzcu said that Türkiye has
good relations with the US. Stating that a green technology-oriented mission
will be a turning point for the advancement of relations, Tuzcu said, “We want
to further advance economic relations with the US.”
Mustafa Tuzcu said that
the taxes imposed on steel from Türkiye in the US should be abolished and that
Türkiye does not want to be part of the US problem on steel. Stating that this
issue does not reflect the friendship and cooperation of the two countries,
Tuzcu emphasized that Türkiye wants its status on the generalized system of preferences
back. Pointing out that Türkiye has serious potential in terms of green
economy, Tuzcu said: “There is a serious desire to implement the green
consensus initiative. A new Climate Law is being prepared in the Turkish Grand
National Assembly. We see that green is our future. This will also be
supplemented by digital transformation. Cooperation is very important here.
There are already some companies working together. Türkiye's renewable energy
capacity has recently become 53 percent of our total capacity. We should
cooperate more in this area. Climate change is an international problem and our
work must be international. Our cooperation will set an important example.”
- Marty Durbin, Senior Vice President of the US Chamber of
Commerce
Marty Durbin, Senior
Vice President of the US Chamber of Commerce, stated that the Chamber has set
ambitious goals between Türkiye and the US on green transformation, emission
reduction and climate change.
Pointing out that the
private sector is an important partner in such efforts, Durbin said, “The
business world will also provide climate solutions. As the private sector, we
can accelerate the green transformation and the energy transition while at the
same time strengthening energy security. If we work together, it is possible to
achieve both.”