'Innovation no longer choice, but must for competition'

ANKARA

Innovation is no longer a choice, but a must in global competition, a virtually held event heard a Turkish official as saying on Friday.

Addressing the Turkey Innovation Week meeting held virtually by the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM), Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said: "With this awareness, we develop Turkey's innovation policy."

Varank underlined that innovation is key for value-added production.

"The development of innovation culture in our country, and companies and young minds drawing their routes with innovation are among our top priorities," Varank stated.

Stressing the virus-induced innovation and digital transformation processes, the minister said the trend of innovation is expected to continue accelerating in the post-pandemic period.

A young and dynamic population with an innovative spirit is the biggest advantage of Turkey, he asserted.

Varank also called on young people to pursue and invent new ideas with promising government support.

In his part, TIM head Ismail Gulle stressed that the event saw record-high participation of over 50,000 people last year.

"We will reach a wider audience this year by organizing the event virtually due to coronavirus," Gulle said.

Touching TIM's works on accelerating exports amid the coronavirus measures, Gulle said the association becomes a pioneer by organizing 45 virtual trade delegations in 43 countries with the support of the Trade Ministry.

"In the third quarter of this year, we became one of the four countries that increased its exports across the world," he added.