Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu congratulated D-8 Secretary General Ambassador Dato 'Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, saying, “I am confident that he will be very successful. I believe that he will carry the D-8 organization further in line with its goals and wish him success in his mission.”

The TOBB President, memorializing the late Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, who pioneered the establishment of the D-8 organization, pointed out Erbakan was also a former TOBB President, stressing his importance for them.

Hisarcıklıoğlu explained that D-8 organization is based on 6 basic principles. “They are peace instead of war, dialogue instead of conflict, justice instead of double standards, equality instead of superiority, sharing instead of exploitation, human rights, freedom and democracy instead of oppression and domination. All these principles, in fact, point to a very accurate vision. It shows the roadmap becoming sophisticated and refined societies.”

- “Our average annual growth rate is 6%”

Hisarcıklıoğlu evaluated the current situation of D-8 countries and said, “The D8 countries have spread to three continents. We have rich natural resources. We have a young and dynamic population, making up approximately a seventh of the world's population. Our annual average growth rate is 6%, above many western countries. When the D-8 was established, the average national income per capita was 1,820 dollars; it has reached 4,500 USD. In total, we have a population of 1.1 billion and an economic size of 3.7 trillion USD. However, compared to the possibilities we have, we cannot be happy with these numbers.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that there are various instances of cooperation in a number of sectors, from trade to agriculture and industrialization, from tourism to energy and transportation, “However, we are unable to fully utilize this potential. We should trade more. We have to produce more. We must leave our young population with better jobs, a brighter future. For this, first we need to facilitate trade among ourselves. It is very important that visa facilitation, customs and preferential trade agreements are signed and put into effect. If the necessary steps can be taken in these areas, the intra-D8 trade, which is currently around 100bn USD, may increase by as much as 5 times in a short time.”

- Strategic roadmap to be developed

Reminding that TOBB has taken on the duty of D-8 Trade and Industry Federation (FCCI) chairmanship in parallel with Turkey’s D-8 presidency, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they want to share information about their work plans for the presidency and to listen to the opinions, and urged participation and support of ambassadors, national chambers and of business circles of the member states.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said they would like to complete the D-8 Federation of Trade and Industry Chambers' Statute for Institutionalization and develop a strategic roadmap to further the economic co-operation between the D-8 member countries and the work to be done by TEPAV.

- D-8 Secretary General Shaari: D-8 countries will be among the world's 24 strongest economies

Secretary General of the Developing Eight Countries (D-8) Ambassador Dato'Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari began his speech by congratulating Hisarcıklıoğlu for his reelection to TOBB Presidency.

Recalling that D-8 is an organization founded 20 years ago, Shaari said that the D-8 should be reactivated and new dynamism should be encouraged.

Stating that D-8 could be an economic power, Shaari stressed that they could accomplish this with a new understanding.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Deputy General Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tolga Bermek, D-8 Secretary General Dato'Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, People's Republic of Bangladesh Ambassador to Ankara M. Allama Sıddıki, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Ankara Ambassador-Undersecretary Fahmi Aris Innayah, Iranian Islamic Republic Ankara Ambassador Mouhammad Ebrahim Taherian Fard, Malaysian Ambassador to Ankara Abd Razak Bin Abdul Wahab, Federal Republic of Nigeria Ankara Ambassador Ilyasu Audu Paragalda, Pakistan's Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, Egyptian Arab Republic Embassy of the Republic of Turkey Maslahatgüzar Wael Naggar, EBSO Chairman Ender Yorgancılar, Salihli Commodity Exchange Chairman Yetiş Aksoy, TOBB Secretary General Mustafa Saraçöz, TEPAV Director Güven Sak, Deputy Secretary General of TOBB Ali Emre Yurdakul and TOBB EU Head of Department Mustafa Bayburtlu attended the iftar supper.