ANKARA
US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez said, US is committed to work together as Turkey aims to reach the goal of becoming a top ten economy by 2023.
Speaking at the working lunch of the 10th meeting of the Turkey-US Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) at Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in Ankara following the opening speech of TOBB President Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Fernandez stated that the 10th meeting showed the progress of the economic partnership between Turkey and the US.
“I am very pleased that we have been quite successful in the EPC in advancing our shared economic interest,” said Fernandez and added that since 2009 bilateral trade volume had doubled. He also expressed his special gratitude in this regard as 2009 was the year that he started working on the EPC.
US commitment for strategic economic ties
Fernandez underlined that the 10th EPC meeting had a particular importance as it followed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “very successful” Washington meetings.
“I have to tell you that it was a very successful business delegation with Erdogan” said Fernandez, emphasizing that Turkish businessmen were accompanied by a group of top American executives and the most successful US companies which demonstrated a very impressive interest in furthering the economic relationship.
“We in the US are committed to transform our economic relations with Turkey to the same strategic level as our political and security relations,” said Fernandez, and added, it meant finding way to work with Turkey as it reaches to the goal of becoming a top ten economy by the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Republic of Turkey.
US and Turkey to combine efforts for MENA
Stating that what government could do at the end of the day depended on how companies respond, Fernandez focused on the role of the commitment of TOBB and US Chamber of Commerce to work together to increase the opportunities of their members to partner with each other.
“That is why I am so encouraged and pleased. We had no better partner than TOBB in our trials to deepen our commitment. Together TOBB and US Chamber of Commerce have a very ambitious plan for a number of joint events for their members,” said Fernandez.
He also announced that the US Chamber of Commerce planned to hold a conference in Washington in November as a part of the upcoming EPC meeting, during which business cooperation for third countries, primarily in North Africa and the Middle East will be discussed.
Ferdandez highlighted that many challenges faced both countries’ businesses in MENA region, and said, “If we can get together the knowledge that Turkish companies have of the MENA and the technology that US companies would bring to the table, that will be an unbeatable combination.”
Energy as the star of EPC
Stating that the cooperation opportunities would grow rapidly following Erdogan’s visit, Fernandez underlined, “The tremendous opportunities exist for our companies to expand in each others’ markets. It is not just US companies here but also Turkish companies in the US.”
Fernandez mentioned that in the energy sector, there were great prospects for further collaboration in the areas of conventional, renewable energy or increasing energy efficacy.
Adding that energy sector had always been the star of the EPC meetings, he also focused on the importance of small and medium size companies both in Turkey and the US.
Fernandez said, “Actually they make the biggest contribution to employment. We are very interested in widening our cooperation not just between the large but also the small and medium companies.”
Finally touching upon the significance of entrepreneurship which create innovation and employment, Fernandez expressed his gratitude to TOBB and Hisarciklioglu for their efforts to support the entrepreneurship projects by the US State Department in the last few years.
