Officials from Turkey and the USA, as well as many investors, attended the reception organized under the theme “Turkey: Your Resilient Investment Partner”, in cooperation with the Turkish Embassy in Washington and the American Business Association (AmCham Turkey).
At the reception, economic relations between the two countries and possible investment opportunities were discussed.
A call to remove barriers to doing business
In his speech here, Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington, Hasan Murat Mercan, said that there are good goals in the commercial and investment relations between the two countries, and that the obstacles to doing business in both countries should be removed.
Emphasizing that the Embassy and the Presidential Investment Office are willing to help American companies make it easier for them to do business and increase their investments, Mercan said that they need to be very dynamic when addressing the problems faced by American companies, and that they also expect the American government to help Turkey do business more easily with the USA. brought.
Mercan pointed out that cooperation could be made in the field of defense to increase trade between the two countries and said, “We are working hard to increase defense cooperation between the two countries. This benefits not only companies but also the global security structure.”
Referring to the customs duty imposed by the USA on steel products originating from Turkey, Mercan noted that trade can be increased if the customs duties applied to steel products are removed.
US and Turkish business world will meet in Istanbul in May
Arun Venkataraman, US Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of US and Foreign Trade Services, also emphasized the importance of the commercial partnership between the US and Turkey.
Venkataraman said, “In recent years, our trade relations have improved, with both countries benefiting from increased trade, goods and services, investments, employment and economic opportunities. As the Ministry of Commerce, we are determined to double our interaction with Turkey and the broader European and Eurasian region.” ” he said.
Stating that the “Trade Winds” event, one of the important commercial events of the USA, will be held in Istanbul on May 13-15, Venkataraman stated that more than 100 US companies and government officials will meet with Turkish public and private sector representatives.
“Türkiye is in an ideal position as a reliable partner”
Bekir Polat, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Investment Office, explained that the global economy has faced significant difficulties and crises in recent years, and that the Turkish economy has proven its resilience against external and internal shocks.
Pointing out that international investors have played an important role in Turkey’s success by investing over 250 billion dollars since 2003, Polat said that the number of international companies operating in Turkey was around 6 thousand in 2002, and today there are nearly 80 thousand international companies in Turkey. He noted that he also operates.
Polat said, “Turkey is in an ideal position as a reliable partner in supply chain resilience and diversification for multinational companies, thanks to its geostrategic location, advanced production capabilities, international free trade networks and skilled workforce.”
AmCham Turkey Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors Canan Özsoy stated that their main goal is to develop economic cooperation between the USA and Turkey.
Stating that the AmCham Turkey delegation has been in contacts in Washington since the beginning of the week, Özsoy said, “It was a marathon, but we managed to convey our messages. Our message focused on the bilateral trade volume, which exceeded almost 35 billion dollars, with a healthy annual growth of 22 percent. With this momentum, it increased by 20 percent.” “If we continue to grow, we can reach our target of $100 billion in trade volume by 2028, which is only four years away,” he said.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) Senior Director of Global Government Relations and Public Policy Sean Mulvaney touched upon his experiences investing in Turkey and emphasized that investments in Turkey are strategic and extremely important for his companies.
Stating that Turkey is a regional center for the company’s operations, Mulvaney noted that the Turkish economy is a “very resilient partner.”
