DEİK 2023 ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR 2024

DEİK remains dedicated to actively contributing to our country’s vision in the new century

DEİK kicked off 2023, marking the commencement of Türkiye’s second century, with a tremendous surge of enthusiasm and energy. Nevertheless, following the earthquake disaster we faced at the outset of February, our priorities, much like the entire nation of Türkiye, underwent a profound shift. In the aftermath of our visits to the earthquake-affected region, it became evident that the most pressing issue was the immediate need for shelter in harsh winter conditions. In response, DEİK promptly took decisive action to address this critical problem.

Leveraging the unwavering support of our members, DEİK orchestrated the creation of DEİK Town. Comprising 1000 containers equipped with essential amenities and supplies for a complete family, including social facilities, we swiftly delivered this comprehensive solution to AFAD to cater to the needs of the earthquake victims.

With the aim of facilitating both immediate recovery and long-term development in the earthquake-stricken zone, we proactively engaged with international financial institutions, particularly our counterpart organizations, to secure and transfer essential financial resources, including grants and loans, directly to the region. Following the May elections, as the new economic administration assumed power and demonstrated a preference for close collaboration with the business sector, we actively engaged in an intensive process of contributing to policy documents.

Throughout this period, we actively sought input from the public and played a significant role in the policy-making process, particularly in shaping the ‘Medium- Term Program’ and formulating the action plan for the “Coordination Council for the Improvement of the Investment Environment” (YOIKK).

In the latter half of the year, we intensified our business diplomacy efforts

In the second half of the year, we intensified our business diplomacy efforts, which had experienced a relative slowdown in the initial months. In this context, a pivotal initiative was the gathering of Turkish and Gulf business leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, led by our ministers, during our President’s visit to the Gulf in July.

Following this visit, which significantly boosted our bilateral commercial ties in the region, our roundtable discussions and business-to-business meetings with Gulf countries sustained momentum. In September, we had the honour of organizing the 10th kurultai of the World Turkish Business World in Istanbul. The kurultai successfully convened nearly 5 thousand participants from the Turkish Diaspora and Turkish friends spanning 131 countries.

As part of the kurultai, we conducted four sessions to assess the current status of the Turkish diaspora and friendly diasporas, culminating in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). During the DTİK General Assembly, country representatives and regional representatives board chairmen were elected. Currently, 84 country representatives and 5 regional representatives board chairmen are actively carrying out their responsibilities.

Following the DTİK kurultai, we promptly arranged the 13th Türkiye Investment Conference in New York, coinciding with the UN General Assembly. The event served as a platform to unite our President of the Republic of Türkiye with representatives from the US Business World. In October, our Ministry of Trade, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, spearheaded the Türkiye- Africa IV. Business and Economic Forum. The overarching theme was “Challenges and Opportunities: Strengthening Türkiye-Africa Economic Partnerships.” As part of the forum, we convened 1 guest Head of State, Ministers from 24 African countries, 32 Ambassadors, 19 business leaders, and 6 African Regional Organization Presidents.

The event saw the participation of a total of 3,900 Turkish and African private sector representatives, with 1,700 hailing from 53 African countries. Over the two-day Forum, a remarkable 9,800 business meetings and G2B (Government-to-Business) sessions took place, resulting in the signing of cooperation agreements with 4 organizations.

Besides these initiatives, we sustained our business diplomacy efforts by conducting a comprehensive array of over 1500 events in total. As part of these activities, we strategically incorporated themes such as green and digital transformation, as well as the modernization of the customs union, into our agenda. We have fostered collaborations across numerous sectors, encompassing energy, finance, agriculture, food, digital technologies, service exports, construction, industry, and foreign investments. 2024 will not be an easy year globally.

The upcoming year presents us with challenges such as a decline in global growth, rising global inflation, geopolitical risks, supply chain disruptions, and ongoing global trade tensions. In this period, akin to previous years, we anticipate Türkiye to exhibit a positive differentiation from the global landscape. As DEİK, we remain committed to contributing to our country’s vision in the new century through our diplomatic activities and thematic studies.