21.11.2019 İstanbul
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Board of Directors Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu stated that the mutual trade volume of Turkey and Qatar reached $3 billion, and added, “The Qatari capital investing in our country 10 years ago was $100 million, but now this figure has reached $2.5 billion. The value of the projects undertaken by Turkish companies in Qatar reached $17 billion.”
The
Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Board of Directors
Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, Dr. Mohamed bin Jawhar al-Mohamed, a member of
the Board of Directors of the Qatar Chamber, and representatives of several
companies from the two countries attended the Turkey-Qatar Business Forum,
which focused on the commercial relations of Turkey and Qatar.
During
the forum, held at a hotel in Istanbul, a commercial cooperation agreement
between various companies from the two countries was signed.
TOBB
Vice President Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, in his speech at the forum, said that as the Turkish
business community, they always stand close with Qatar and work with the Qatar
Chamber on many platforms.
- “Mutual trade volume has reached
$3 billion”
Stating
that, at the forum, many business people from Turkey and Qatar, each of whom is
the star of their own sector, will meet, Zeytinoğlu said, “We see clearly that
our business worlds want to do more business with each other. Bilateral
business meetings will also be held in many sectors. With these meetings,
lucrative partnerships will be established.”
Zeytinoğlu,
recalling that Qatari friends gave the first support to Turkey during the 2016
FETÖ coup attempt, said that the Emir of Qatar, the Government of Qatar and the
Qatari business community are on Turkey's side.
Noting
that Qatar also supports Operation Peace Spring against terrorist organizations
in northern Syria, Zeytinoğlu said, “As one of our proverbs says, 'Friends become
evident on black days.’ We never forget people who were there for us in
difficult times. Similarly, when Qatar faced regional problems, Turkey and the
Turkish business community stood by their Qatari friends. We have given Qatar
both diplomatic and de facto support. When Turkey and Qatar were together, the
economy also prospered. Ten years ago, our mutual trade volume wasn’t even half
a billion dollars, but now we've reached $3 billion. Qatari capital investment
in our country 10 years ago was $100 million; but now this figure is $2.5
billion. The value of the projects undertaken by Turkish companies in Qatar
reached $17 billion. These are very important developments, but we're at the
beginning. From now on, we're going to do bigger things.”
- “We support Qatar's vision to
diversify its economy”
Zeytinoğlu
stating that they are following Qatar very closely stressed that the 2022 FIFA
World Cup is a great opportunity for the promotion and tourism of Qatar.
Zeytinoğlu
stated that they are as proud as Qatar as it is the first time that a Muslim
country is hosting this tournament, and, “We are also following Qatar’s 2030
National Vision closely. Qatar is taking concrete steps. We support this vision
towards diversifying the economy.”
Zeytinoğlu,
recalling that Turkey had experienced a similar transformation in the recent
past, “40 years ago, Turkey was an agricultural country that exported $3
billion a year. Today we export $170 billion a year. 94% of that is industrial.
We sell more than half of the goods we produce to the most competitive
countries in the world: European and American markets. We have become the most
powerful industrial country between Italy and China.”
Reporting
that Turkey is the 6th largest tourist destination in the world, Zeytinoğlu
continued, “We have become the world's largest power in the contracting sector
after China. Our businessmen undertook a total of 151 projects abroad amounting
to $7.5 billion in the first 9 months of this year. Turkey is still the largest
consumer goods manufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world. It
is Europe's largest supplier of automotive. The architects of all these success
stories have come to do business with you in this hall today. Let's join our
strengths together. We have great experience, brave entrepreneurs; Qatar has
immense capital accumulation and financial experience. Let’s bring these
together with tangible projects. Let's make the Turkey-Qatar partnership
accepted throughout the world. Let the Turkey-Qatar connection be one of peace,
trade and wealth of this region.”
- “Qatar sees Turkey as an attractive
investment center”
Qatar
Chamber Board of Directors Member Dr. Mohamed bin Jawhar al-Mohamed said that
as part of the efforts of the leaders of the two countries, the trade volume
between Qatar and Turkey increased by 85% compared to 2017, reaching 8.7
billion Qatari riyals.
Mohamed
bin Jawhar al-Mohamed pointed out that the trade volume between the two
countries was 4.2 billion riyals in the first half of this year, and that 1.7
billion riyals of this volume were exported to Turkey by Qatar and 2.5 billion
riyals is made up of Qatar's imports from Turkey.
Mohamed
bin Jawhar al-Mohamed stated that a balance in the volume of trade and the two
countries exists as well as the will to continue increasing trade relations, “Qatar's
private sector sees Turkey as an attractive investment center. Qatari
businessmen are eager to joint venture between Turkey and Qatar and increase
their cooperation.”
Mohamed
bin Jawhar al-Mohamed pointed out that the number of Turkish companies
operating in the Qatari market exceeded 450 and said, “The number of projects
implemented by Turkish companies in Qatar has exceeded 130 and the total value
of these projects is over $15 billion. On the other hand, 130 companies from
Qatari companies serve in different fields in Turkey. Despite the unfair
blockade against Qatar since mid-2017, Qatar's economy has not only exceeded
this blockade, but has brought its economy to the largest growth rates in the
region. Qatar's economy will grow by 3% in 2022 with the impact of the FIFA
World Cup. Qatar supports foreign investors and encourages them to enter the
Qatari market. In this forum, we would like to invite Turkish companies to take
advantage of attractive investment environments in Qatar and to take advantage
of the opportunities provided by the Qatari government to foreigners. The
Qatari market will be honored to host Turkish companies.”