'Turkey should focus on green, digital transformation'

ISTANBUL

Turkey can take a much stronger place with the EU in the post-pandemic era, said the head of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) on Tuesday.

"While the pandemic disrupts the structure of supply chains, it also creates new opportunities in the context of EU-based supply chains, from which Turkey can benefit," Simone Kaslowski said in his speech at the opening of the 23rd Enterprise and Business Summit.

Kaslowski said companies should include more sustainable, environmental- and climate-friendly production patterns in their processes, adding: "We must maximize our resource and energy efficiency potential through innovative pursuits.

"The world is moving towards digital transformation, green industrial revolution," he said, and warned Turkey should not lag behind green transformation efforts taking place worldwide.

"As the business world, we must not allow the short-term political agenda to adversely affect our competitive power in the medium and long term," he added.

"We need to work together to protect the competitiveness of the EU and Turkey, to strengthen integration and advancement towards full membership."

He said a very different dynamics in the global economy is taking shape, and a new world order is obviously being built.

*Writing by Aysu Bicer in Ankara