The 14th edition of the Turkish-Arab Economic Forum was launched on Wednesday in Istanbul under the slogan “A new phase in cooperation.”
The forum is being held under the patronage of the Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Investment Office, in cooperation with the Union of Turkish Chambers and Stock Exchanges.
In a speech during the forum’s launch ceremony, Burak Dağlıoğlu, head of the Presidential Investment Office, said, “Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been progressing on the right path of cooperation with Arab countries since 2003.”
Dağlıoğlu pointed out that “the volume of trade to Arab countries 20 years ago was 5 billion dollars, at a rate of 10 percent of total Turkish exports, and that the volume rose in 2023 to more than 45 billion dollars, at a rate of 20 percent of total Turkish exports.”
He pointed out that “Turkey is one of the top 20 economies in the world.”
The head of the Presidency’s Investment Office pointed out the importance of Turkey’s strategic location in the middle of the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa.
He explained, “Turkey has a business-friendly investment climate and an economy that is growing quickly and on the right foundations.”
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For his part, the head of the Federation of Turkish Chambers and Exchanges, Rifat Hisarklioglu, said, “The world is going through a difficult phase as the volume of the global economy and trade is witnessing a contraction with the increase in geopolitical risks and conflicts.”
Hisarklioglu pointed out that “the world is in dire need of strong international cooperation and solidarity.”
He pointed out the need to strengthen the private sector in their countries.
He continued, “The basic strength of countries in this era is derived from the private sector… and the strength and dynamism of the economy depends on it.”
In turn, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Khaled Hanafi, stressed that “economic cooperation relations between Turkey and the Arab world are witnessing continuous development and growth.”
Hanafi explained, “Turkey is an important economic partner for the Arab world, as its exports to the region are constantly increasing year after year, and Arab investments in Turkey are also witnessing a continuous increase.”
He pointed out that “Arab investments in Turkey are made in the field of real estate in particular.”
The Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers pointed out that “about 10 million Arab tourists visit Turkey annually.”
