TURKIYE’S TRADE POWER HAS BEEN GROWING FOR 40 YEARS WITH DEIK

DEİK draws on 40 years of experience to represent Turkish business in global markets and to drive strategic cooperation with the Ministry of Trade. In the coming period, this cooperation will further strengthen Türkiye’s role in foreign trade, advancing digital transformation, green technologies, and high-value-added production.

On the occasion of DEIK’s 40th anniversary, we discussed the role of public-private sector cooperation in Türkiye’s foreign trade, for eign trade policies, and priorities for the coming period with Trade Minister Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat for Business Diplomacy readers.

DEİK’S 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HAS CREATED SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE IN TÜRKIYE’S FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS. AS A MINISTRY, HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THIS EXPERIENCE TO INCREASE TÜRKİYE’S COMPETITIVENESS IN GLOBAL TRADE?

DEIK’s nearly 40 years of experience and global reach are among the most important pillars of our foreign trade diplomacy approach. As the Ministry of Trade, we view this experience not only as a point of contact but also as an opportunity to develop strategies that will secure our country’s economic future.

The work carried out by DEIK as the outward-facing face of our business world plays a guiding role in our export and investment policies through both its observations in the field and the connections it has established through 153 Business Councils. While our Ministry represents the public wing of trade diplomacy, DEIK’s role as a bridge on the private sector side makes this process much stronger and more effective.

The 2,227 events organized in 2024 are a concrete demonstration of DEIK’s field activities and institutional strength. The integration of Turkish business into the global system across a broad geography, from Africa to Southeast Asia, Latin America to Central Asia, is of strategic importance for our vision of a strong Türkiye.

We believe that under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and with the valuable contributions of DEIK, the global competitiveness of the Turkish private sector in foreign economic relations will continue to grow day by day.

WHAT OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANTAGES DOES DEİK’S LONG-STANDING PRESENCE, WITH 40 YEARS OF ACTIVITY, OFFER IN TERMS OF PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATION IN TÜRKİYE? WHAT PRIORITIES IS THE MINISTRY FOCUSING ON FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COOPERATION?

The long-standing presence of DEIK, spanning nearly forty years, has established public-private sector cooperation on a stable and trustworthy foundation. Thanks to the experience it has gained since 1985, it has become one of the most reputable representatives of the private sector in Türkiye’s international arena.

In addition to important organizations such as TOBB, TIM, MÜSI AD, and TMB, DEIK also includes many chambers, unions, and associations, making it the common voice of the private sector. Today, with 1,748 corporate members, this structure demonstrates sector diversity and representational power, serving as an indispensable consultation and liaison mechanism for our Ministry.

As a ministry, our priority is to further strengthen this solid foundation by deepening our cooperation through joint action plans and making feedback mechanisms more effective through bilateral information exchange. In this regard, we will continue to benefit from DEIK’s organizational experience and ensure that the Türkiye private sector remains an integral part of foreign trade policies.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATION PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN TÜRKİYE’S FOREIGN TRADE POLICIES. COULD WE HEAR YOUR VIEWS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THIS COOPERATION PROCESS BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF TRADE AND DEIK AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE COMING PERIOD?

The cooperation between our Ministry of Trade and DEIK gained new momentum with the restructuring that took place in 2014. During this process, the num ber of founding organizations increased from 42 to 93, while the number of Business Councils rose from 114 to 153. Thus, DEIK has gained broader legitimacy for its activities by bringing together the strongest representatives of the Türkiye private sector under one roof.

At this point, DEIK is a critical partner in both content production and field applications in the JETCO and KEK meetings conducted by our Ministry. The alignment between our target country policy and DEIK’s field activities enables our foreign trade policies to be shaped in a more accurate and dynamic manner. Furthermore, DEIK maintains constant contact with Türkiye’s diplomatic missions abroad to keep dialogue channels open with public authorities overseas. These activities, in conjunction with the cooperation carried out with our Commercial Attache’s Offices and Consulates, increase our effectiveness in foreign markets.

We believe that this strong cooperation will deepen further in the coming period in areas such as the digital economy, green transformation, artificial intelligence-supported trade analyses, and new generation Free Trade Agreements. We anticipate that DEIK will continue to make significant contributions to the Turkish business world and Türkiye’s foreign trade vision by strengthening its role as a strategic policy partner of our Ministry.

HOW DOES DEİK’S ROLE AS THE VOICE OF THE BUSINESS WORLD ON INTERNATIONAL PLATFORMS CONTRIBUTE TO TÜRKİYE’S TRADE DIPLOMACY? HOW DOES THE COOPERATION BETWEEN YOUR MINISTRY AND DEİK STRENGTHEN THIS CONTRIBUTION?

Trade diplomacy is not limited to intergovernmental relations; it is a multilateral and multi-actor process. In this context, we consider DEIK to be a mature and powerful spokesperson for the Turkish business world.

The high-level forums and international events organized by DEIK reinforce Türkiye’s position as a reliable, stable, and reputable actor in foreign trade. For example, in programs such as the Türkiye-Africa Business Forum, the business representation provided under DEIK’s leadership facilitates the transformation of political intentions into economic cooperation.

In this regard, the work of the World Turkish Business Council (DTIK) within DEIK is also of particular importance. Coordinated activities with diaspora representatives in 131 countries contribute to Türkiye’s stronger presence on a global scale.

As the Ministry of Trade, we are also working closely with DEIK in many areas, from coordi nation meetings to shared data pools, strategic communication to field reporting, with the aim of further advancing this potential.

DEİK REACHING ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN TÜRKİYE’S FOREIGN TRADE. AS THE MINISTER OF TRADE OF TÜRKİYE, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEİK AND THE MINISTRY OF TRADE TO SHAPE UP OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS DURING THIS SPECIAL PERIOD? IN YOUR OPINION, WHICH AREAS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN TÜRKİYE’S FOREIGN TRADE?

DEIK reaching its 40th year is not just an anniversary; it is an important milestone in Türkiye’s foreign trade history. We see this period as the beginning of new goals and greater moves.

Over the next decade, we aim to strengthen the main axis of our foreign trade in strategic areas such as high val ue-added production, digital transformation, green and clean technologies, the service sector, and e-export. The global connections provided by DEIK through its business councils during this process are an invaluable resource that paves the way for our nation.

The meetings and contacts organized by DEIK within the scope of trade diplomacy have been an integral part of our Ministry of Trade’s programs. We believe that this coopera tion will deepen and strengthen in the coming period and contribute to Türkiye’s rapid progress toward its foreign trade goals.