Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The World Turkish Business Council (DTİK), aiming to strengthen the Turkish lobby by bringing Turkish entrepreneurs and professionals living abroad, has ramped up its efforts.

Completing its city organization in Europe and the Balkans following Australia, DTİK brought together nearly 600 Turkish businessmen in Köln, Germany, in order to formulate its plans for the new term. During the meeting, 120 city representatives from 25 countries received their certificates. Attending the meeting were Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Hüseyin Avni Karslıoğlu, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TOBB Vice Presidents Halim Mete and Faik Yavuz, TOBB Board Member Sahin Bilgic, DEİK Board Vice Presidents Zeynel Abidin Erdem,  Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, DEİK Board Member Murat Yalçıntaş as well as a large business delegation.

- The diaspora’s role in regards to the 2023 goals

Holding a press meeting prior to the “Grand Meeting of Europe and the Balkans” certificate ceremony along with the Board Members of DTİK, DEİK/DTİK Board President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “2023 national goals will be achieved through the courage, experience and knowledge of the Turkish entrepreneur.  We will attain these goals through the dynamism of Turkish entrepreneurs spread throughout the world. Other countries’ experiences provide us with examples to this end. The Chinese diaspora made China the production center of the world. The Indian diaspora has made India the software center of the world. Israel has become an innovation center by working through its diaspora. Nearly 6 million Turkish entrepreneurs living abroad is one of our greatest assets for achieving our goal of becoming one of the 10 largest economies in the world.”

- Turkish diaspora center to be established to be

Stating that they will be kicking off new projects to strengthen the Turkish diaspora, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that they will be establishing a World Turkish Entrepreneurs Implementation and Research Center at TOBB ETU, “Our second will focus on getting every member of our diaspora employed as well as aiding our domestic brands to enter the international market through the Diaspora Franchise Platform. In line with a protocol signed with the National Franchise Association (UFRAD), diaspora youth are being given discounts for franchises. Thirdly, each year we will be bringing a number of successful diaspora youth to Turkey for apprenticeship as well as being paired with DEİK business council presidents in order to be mentored by them.”

- 100 billion USD goal

In regards to the next 10 years until 2023, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We have two goals with the Turkish diaspora entrepreneurs. The first is to ensure that our diaspora generates a value of 100 billion USD. The second is to have at least 10 companies established by diaspora entrepreneurs to be based in the finance center of the future, Exchange Istanbul.”