Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The memorandum of understanding which will provide the roadmap for the development of economic relations with the USA has been signed at the Prime Ministry by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and the Vice President, Turkey, Middle East and North Africa Affairs, US Chamber of Commerce Lionel C. Johnson and witnessed by Prime Minister Deputy Ali Babacan.

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that meetings to present various investment opportunities to the CEOs of large corporations in Massachusetts-Boston, Maryland-Washington, Illinois-Chicago, and California-San Francisco. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We will undertake a campaign in the USA to promote business opportunities in Turkey. We will bring commerce delegations from the USA to Turkey, showing them business opportunities on-site. We will develop the Turkish-American economic relations in Anatolia. With the attendance of Turkish and American firms, we will hold a provision conference in Turkey. We will carry our commerce to a new dimension. We will conduct economic effect analysis studies regarding cooperation opportunities in the fields of health, cyber security, project finances in third countries, contracting, the food industry and nano-tech.”

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the economic facet of Turkey-USA relations are viewed as a know-how transfer and cooperation in third countries in regards to bilateral trade, bilateral investment, tourism and entrepreneurship.

- Prime Minister Deputy Ali Babacan

Prime Minister Deputy Ali Babacan, stating that they see this agreement as a starter, said that they would increase their activities and that tangible results would be seen following 2014.

Stating that there will be delegation from the USA to Turkey and vice versa as per the memorandum of understanding, Babacan emphasized that the Prime Minister Erdoğan would conduct the opening in Washington on his first USA visit. Minister Babacan added that the Turkish Week to be organized in the USA would serve to bring the businessmen of the two countries together.

- Real relations will be established by businessmen

Vice President of the US Chamber of Commerce and in charge of Turkey, Middle East and North Africa Affairs, Lionel C. Johnson touched on the entrepreneurial spirit of the Turkish private sector and stated that, with the memorandum, they aim to develop bilateral trade between the two countries and assess cooperation opportunities in third countries.

The USA’s Ambassador to Turkey, Francis J. Ricciardone stated that the cooperation between Turkey and the USA will not be comprised solely of security matters but will also mean cooperation in terms of trade. Ricciardone said that the real relations between the countries will be established by businessmen.
​