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Fuat Oktay, the Deputy President Became the Visitor of ICI February Assembly

27.02.2019
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Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) February ordinary Assembly meeting was held on 27 February 2019 with the main agenda of “The Importance and Effects of New Government System on Our Economy and Business World”. Dr. Can Fuat Gürlesel, the ICI Vice President of the Republic participated in the Assembly Meeting which was directed by Zeynep Bodur Okyay, the Chairperson of ICI Assembly. Hasan Büyükdede, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology and Rıza Tuna Turagay, the Deputy Minister of Trade participated in the meeting.

Stating that they see the things which are presented as a riks in the world as an opportunity and these risks encourage them while he was speaking to the assembly members, Fuat Oktay, the Deputy President of Republic mentioned about the artificial intelligence which is one of the leading subjects in the world agenda and drew attention that artificial intelligence is no longer talked about but also put into application in various fields throughout the world. Oktay stated that they cannot look into future through past’s successes and today’s technologies in such a period. Stating that they cannot look into future by talking today’s risks with old habits, Oktay expressed that they have to realize the digital transformation and be adapted to the new technologies. Stating that they have conceptualized this transformation period and specified it as “National technology step and digital Türkiye”, Oktay recorded that a stable economy is of great importance to promote local and national industry as defense industry and informatics.

Drawing attention that they believe adopting a public administration based on performance is crucial to provide a solution-oriented bureaucracy in the speech he made about the agenda in the assembly, Erdal Bahçıvan, the Chairman of Executive Board of Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) said that: “We believe that the performance of the real sector can be evaluated in accordance with the past-performance just with the same understanding we have demanded in the public. Having a clean background should be able to provide tangible advantages for the companies.”

Touching upon the financial resource issue in his speech, Bahçıvan stated that: “The extravagant period depending on the abundant money is over in the world. We should use our limited resources in much more rational, efficient, elaborate and logical way; and by accepting that we will not see the previous increase figures again, we have to maintain our long-lasting, decisive and patient approach.”

ICI February ordinary Assembly meeting was opened by ICI Assembly President Zeynep Bodur Okyay. Okyay talked about assembly agenda briefly as follows:

“We need a big change and transformation which will eliminate all judgements indicating Türkiye as a weak link in the chain against all our limitations. “ Republic of Türkiye that will be a centennial plane in five years should no longer be remembered with instability, current deficit, macro balance fragility, talent deficit and middle income trap. Our main expectation from the new government system and the governance teams is to rapidly initiate the transformation that will make Türkiye the main character of a success story that centers around a quality production economy. While this success story will transform the national economy, it should also lead to a more engaging and fair income distribution on the other hand. We are well aware that such a goal is much harder than before in a world of commercial protectionism where the race to attract investment turned into a ruleless fight. But we all know that Türkiye's biggest challenge in this century is this."

Then, Okyay invited ICI President Erdal Bahçıvan to the stage to make his speech about the Assembly’s main agenda item. Bahçıvan stated that they have to take into consideration the fact that an era is just closed in the world and the period of spending money extravagantly is over. Stating that suing the limited resources in much more rational, efficient, elaborative and logical way is of vital importance since the old money abundance will no longer experienced in the following period, Bahçıvan recorded that they should accept that there will not be the old increase volume in this period anymore and they have to maintain their patient approach. Bahçıvan expressed that they should adopt an approach based on efficiency and added value firstly by starting from the point of the fact that the recent problems are linked to the resource problem directly as well.

Reminding that export increase in the economy through production with advanced technology and added value is a prioritized target in the new system, Bahçıvan mentioned that they want to transform into economic development and expansion model based on production, investment and employment in this period in much rapid way. Bahçıvan expressed that an education and technology infrastructure in compliance with the targets and strategy specified within the framework of the industry policy should be established in order for the economy of the industry and production to increase again in line with these targets. Touching upon the fact that the decrease in the efficiency of vocational school students and piling of the college students in specific departments caused competency inconsistency and increased the unemployment, Bahçıvan stated that their utmost desire is the evaluation of their industry-education and technology policies in a more coordinated way. Bahçıvan emphasized that they are in an intense struggle in education field, especially for the vocational high schools as Istanbul Chamber of Industry.

Touching about that they welcome the incentives and supports towards R&D which they consider as a significant tool in increasing the qualification in recent years, Bahçıvan said that these incentives should be inspected and their activity should be measured. Stating that how much the R&D incentives transform into outputs and commercial innovations such as patent and beneficial model should be touched upon, Bahçıvan expressed that increase of technological content in all production and service processes through R&D should be the subject which they mostly focus on. Bahçıvan continued:

“What we are in need now is Türkiye’s putting the industry projects determined with the right targets into its agenda promptly and develop its global competition capacity with exact steps. We need to establish a much more stable and stronger economic environment with a great speed. To be clear: We do not have time to lose for the sake of our economy, industry and social welfare. It's time to reinforce the Türkiye perception in the global market and to become a more attractive country for the investors. Let’s use this opportunity all together.”

Pointing out to the importance of the agriculture in terms of the future of humanity, Bahçıvan said that: “We had made a mistake for years, unfortunately: We considered agriculture and industry as separate and different fields from each other. It is high time to correct this mistake. We should bring intellectual mind together with science and technology. On the other hand, the main problem in agriculture should be searched in the production side. Because the real opportunities lay on this side. Our government should take the reformist steps which will satisfy both our producers and consumers promptly. As Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we are going to take critical steps in agriculture and agricultural industry in the following days.”

Stating that they hear of the BIG DATA in today’s world so frequently, Bahçıvan told that information-data is of crucial importance in order to read the trends towards future and get ready in a better way. Stating that they wish public to help private sector much more in this term, Bahçıvan expressed that using the information and date belong to public will create a huge contribution to the economy and industry.

Going up to the rostrum and calling out to ICI Assembly Members, Deputy President Fuat Oktay said that he consider the things which have been presented for him as a risk as an opportunity and these things encourages him. Reminding that AI is not only talked upon but also applied, Oktay expressed that they cannot look into future through past’s successes and today’s technologies in such a period. Stating that they cannot look into future by talking today’s risks with old habits, Oktay expressed that they have to adapt to the new technologies. Stating that they have conceptualized this transformation period and specified it as “National technology step and digital Türkiye”, Oktay recorded that a stable economy is of great importance to promote local and national industry as defense industry and informatics.

Emphasizing that they cannot proceed in a single sector against the achievements in the defense industry, Oktay underlined that the actual success in the defense industry is to create self-esteem. Expressing that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attaches importance to the health sector and explaining the developments in this sector, Oktay stated that the health system in Türkiye is way beyond the world average and they will jump into the next level with city hospitals. Oktay stated that Türkiye is not a country which have underground resources and they earned each kurus by clawing their way up.

Telling that the difference in taking decision is obvious with the speed and flexibility which was brought together with the new Presidency Government System following the manipulations and attacks in the last August, Oktay said that uncertainty of the parliament system has been removed. Stating that the conflict among the powers which was caused by the multi-power holders caused great harms in economy and business world, Oktay expressed that the bureaucratic oligarchy which he defined as an obstacle before the development of Türkiye was overcome in this way. Stating that Presidency Decrees have been issued in order to be fast and dynamic, Oktay emphasized that sustainability in policy development and unit in application have been enabled thanks to Presidency office and institutions.

Pointing out that Turkish industry cannot mention about assertive subjects in export targets with its advance technology in the rate of 2,8 percent, Oktay underlined that they want to develop with private sector. Reminding that the industrialists will be pioneer in the process, Oktay said that the pioneer will be Istanbul Chamber of Industry. Recording that they should be assertive in brining technology to Türkiye and ICI member industrialists will undertake significant duties in this sense, Oktay indicated that their main duty is to pave the way for the industrialists and business people.

Stating that ICI is one of the most powerful representatives of Turkish industry, Oktay said that ICI have specified and followed the strategies which will broaden the horizon and chart out in business world. Oktay told that they are in need of a patient capital for national technology step in R&D incentives and they should accept that it is not possible to obtain a prompt profit out of the invested capital. Stating that they provide special incentives in accordance with the company and sector according to the tailor model among the suggestions of ICI in terms of incentives, Oktay added that they will promote domestic goods much more in public as well.

Then ICI Assembly Members came to the stage one by one and shared their opinions about the main agenda.