DTİK MAPPING OUT ITS STRATEGIC ROUTE BY SHARED WISDOM
World Turkish Business Council (DTİK), carrying out activities within DEİK's body since 2007 and bearing the qualification of a wide platform which brings together the Turkish entrepreneurs and professional directors residing abroad and, proceeds with the endeavouring to reinforce the economic presence of Turkish diaspora consisting of entrepreneurs and increase the lobbying capacity thereof accordingly. Strategy development works and endeavours have been initiated as of May 2017 for the determination of the World Turkish Business Council's work priorities for the upcoming period and corporate structure. The objective of DTİK Strategy Development Project, accomplished through the participation of DTİK members and stakeholders and a participatory conception is determined as the establishment of a shared wisdom involving DTİK's entire entrepreneurs located abroad and a vision and strategy to ensure the development and improvement of an effective Turkish lobbying and to design the most effective organization to accomplish this new vision on a regional basis.
Opinions and views have been exchanged for the determination of DTİK's work priorities for the upcoming period and corporate structure by means of organizing regional workshops for the purpose of developing DTİK's vision. DTİK Eurasia-Balkans Regional Workshop was held on May 12, 2017 in Istanbul; DTİK Europe Regional Workshop was organized on May 14, 2017 in Cologne, DTİK America Regional Workshop was held on May 21, 2017 in Washington and DTİK Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop was organized on May 25, 2017 in Hong-Kong. A total of 120 Turkish entrepreneurs from various countries participated in the said regional workshops. In the third stage of the project, the Strategy Project Integration Conference in broad participation was organized on July 6-7, 2017 in Istanbul with the broad participation of DTİK's claimants and the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Economy Deputy Undersecretary Hüsnü Dilemre. Regional desks were established in the conference and the views; opinions and structuring suggestions were received from the participants. More than 100 businesspeople including the participant groups from 30 different countries and representatives of public institutions have participated in the search conference.
Ministry of Economy Deputy Undersecretary Hüsnü Dilemre stating in his opening speech, "While you, our distinguished guests, set sail to brand-new successes personally or through your enterprises, Turkey has become one of the leading countries of global trade and politics under the leadership of our Honourable President." Dilemre, stating that Turkey has grown 2.9% in 2016 and has become the 4th fastest growing economy among G-20 countries and further said that 19 EU countries have growth rates lower than Turkey and Turkey has demonstrated a growth rate of 5% within the Q1 of year 2017. Dilemre, pointing out that the solid outcomes of endeavours are quite obvious and further stated that the export figures acquire a powerful increase by 8.9% as of the last 2 months of 2016. Dilemre, stating that Turkey's exportation has narrowed down for 0.9% and emphasized that Turkey has displayed an outstanding performance leaving countries such as USA, Canada, Mexico and South Korea behind. Dilemre, phrased that Turkey has exported to more than 243 countries in 2016 and further said that 66,718 enterprises currently perform exports and the number of exporters has increased more than twofold comparing with the year 2002. Deputy Undersecretary Dilemre, stating that Turkey has become a real attraction centre emphasized that the country managed to preserve and maintain the environment of stability and confidence in aftermath of July 15 failed coup attempt and further highlighted that Turkish origin investments on abroad has reached to 31 billion USD and said that not only products but also services and culture are exported to all around the world and Turkey is ranked as 28th country of the world with the most service exports. Dilemre further expressed, "Updating Customs Union and negotiating Agreements on Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments as well as new Free Trade Agreements are placed on top of our agenda for the upcoming period. Our representatives on abroad are the ones who can best describe Turkey's economic prosperousness, human resources' strength, history and culture. I consider our Turkish business world representatives residing on aboard as the mirrors of Turkey."
DEİK's President Ömer Cihad Vardan, emphasized in the opening speech that DTİK would be made more active and effective. Vardan, stating that the strength of World Turkish Business Council (DTİK) was well proven on July 15 and that DEİK has determined an action plan consisting of 11 Articles and declared an economic mobilization accordingly. Vardan, stating that he requested the Presidents of Business Councils to visit the countries in where they are located, to meet with their addressees and media face to face and to organize meetings with the think tanks if any, within the scope of emergency plan, further said that DEİK Business Councils have realized visits to 99 countries upon the process of July 15. Vardan, expressing that currently DEİK has bilateral Business Councils with 135 countries by means of 142 Business Councils, mentioned that the term ‘diaspora' does not fit in with the structure of Turkish culture and 6 million people with ties of affection with Turkey resides on abroad. President Vardan, refers to the significance of effectively using the strength of these people within this platform representing the business world, further said that they would be substantially fulfilling the service by enabling DTİK more effective and operative by means of DTİK Strategy Project Integration Conference. President Vardan said, "We are pursuing the intention and aspiration to make DTİK a more effective and operative mechanism to respond to July 15 and similar incidents. Hence, we shall constitute a shared wisdom in the conference."
DEİK/DTİK Search Conference Project Advisor Prof. Dr. Oğuz Babüroğlu said that Turkey puts forward a substantial presence on abroad through its business world, academics, arts and professionals. He further stated that DTİK Strategy Project Integration Conference was held for the purpose of both governing this presence and potential and optimizing Turkey accordingly. Prof. Dr. Babüroğlu further mentioned that DTİK Strategy Study is intended to be performed through a shared wisdom and participation. Prof. Dr. Babüroğlu, stating that the answer for the question "How do you contribute to Turkey?" is also sought and said that it is a new project to transform the potential within the world into action for DTİK to be more active and inclusionary.
