Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Ankara Chamber of Industry 60^th Anniversary Award Ceremony was hosted by ASO President Seyit Ardıç with the participation of TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu and Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu started his speech at the award ceremony by saying “On the occasion of the 109^th anniversary of the Çanakkale Naval Victory, which changed the course of history, I commemorate the Hero of the Dardanelles, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk; his comrades in arms, our heroic Mehmetçiks and veterans with mercy, gratitude and respect”.

Stating that Ankara Chamber of Industry is a source of pride with its deep-rooted and national structure, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Our Chamber has always stood by our industrialists and has been their voice. It has had a considerable impact on Ankara's industry to achieve its current strength and on the growth of our industrialists. With a modern, innovative and member-oriented working approach, it has carried its historical responsibility in the best way possible. It has continuously improved its institutional competence and effectiveness in a way to address the Ankara industry properly.”

Stating that ASO keeps the pulse of the economy in the best way, acts as an interpreter for its members and steps in to solve problems and finalizes them, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Today, the most powerful chambers in Europe provide the same standard of service to their members, and ASO has become able to provide the same standard of service to its members, even more and of higher quality. It has also documented this as accredited. In addition to protecting the rights and interests of its members, we are all witnesses to its beneficial services in many fields from OIZ to vocational education and high technology. We are also proud of the works it has brought to our Ankara and industry. I am proud of your 60 years of experience and prestige, your continuously strengthened corporate structure, the projects you have realized and the work you have brought to our Ankara. I sincerely believe that our Ankara Chamber of Industry will continue to serve Ankara and industrialists in line with this beautiful vision. I am proud of my brother Seyit Ardıç, with whom I also worked together in the TOBB administration, the Board of Directors, the Assembly, our general secretary and all my working brothers and sisters. I congratulate them all individually for their labor and efforts. I offer my respect and gratitude to all our members who have brought our chamber from its establishment to today, who have served and worked here, and I remember with mercy those who have passed away. I sincerely congratulate all my brothers and sisters who will receive awards.”

- Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz

Deputy President Cevdet Yılmaz said, “We do not expect a significant decline in annual inflation until May.”

In his speech at the ceremony organized for the 60^th anniversary of the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO), Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said, “While global growth remains weak, geopolitical risks increase price volatility and risks. However, we see that headline inflation has started to decline worldwide, while core inflation is still relatively high. Leading Central Banks continue to implement tight monetary policy to reduce inflation. While the manufacturing industry is relatively weak, especially in advanced economies, we see that the services sector has recently been recovering, albeit slightly. In such a global climate, since last year, we have been implementing policies that reduce uncertainty in our economy and enable all sectors to see the way ahead more clearly. Uncertainty is the enemy of the economy. The more you reduce uncertainty and increase predictability, the more you strengthen the economy.”

Emphasizing that policy uncertainties have been eliminated with the Medium Term Program and Development Plan, which were prepared in consultation with businessmen, workers, employers and all related parties after the presidential election, Yılmaz said, “We shared a very detailed road map with our society on both monetary policy, fiscal policy and structural reforms. Our President personally shared the Medium Term Program. Therefore, we are implementing our policies in an environment where political and policy uncertainties are minimized and predictability is ensured. As you know, this has three pillars: monetary policy, fiscal policy and structural reforms. We are implementing all three pillars with a strong team and in coordination with each other.”

- We are working to fight inflation

Yılmaz said that they are working to ensure fiscal discipline in the fight against inflation, to stabilize growth, to reduce the current account deficit and to strengthen reserves, adding, “We are making efforts in all these areas simultaneously. While the world economy grew around 3 percent last year in 2023, we achieved 4.5 percent growth as the Turkish economy. As you know, the world economy is below its historical averages, the average of the last 20 years has been around 3.6 percent, and the world growth was around 3 percent last year. Therefore, world trade and economy are below historical averages. Our growth rate for the last 20 years, our average annual growth rate is 5.4. Our growth rate was 4.5 percent, slightly below our historical average. But when we compare it with the world, we have realized a growth rate one and a half points higher than the world. We have closed the year 2023 with a growth rate slightly higher than the growth we envisaged in the Medium Term Program.”

- Full support from ASO for economic policies

In his speech, ASO President Seyit Ardıç said that the story of the Chamber started in 1963 in a small apartment of a business house in Ulus. Noting that they have witnessed many difficulties since then, Ardıç said that the principles and values have not changed despite all that has happened.

Emphasizing that they did not compromise on their production principles, Ardıç said: “We did not give up our mission of contributing to the development of not only Ankara but also Türkiye. That is why today, we have reached nearly 10 thousand members with 13 organized industrial zones, 149 R&D centers, 36 design centers, 13 technology development zones, 40 professional groups. Today, Ankara has become one of Türkiye's largest in production. Our capital city has reached exports of more than 12 billion dollars and employment of more than 1 million. Approximately 10 percent of the world's 250 largest contractors are in Ankara.”

Stating that Ankara, with its human, social, economic and intellectual capital, also pioneers the production of high-tech products and services in Türkiye, Ardıç said that they have started working to realize a production-based technology base in order to make Ankara the capital of industry and technology.