Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) President Şekib Avdagiç spoke at the monthly ordinary council meeting of ITO, which was held online for the first time.
Avdagiç stated that production should continue so that the sensitive links of the economic chain do not break, and said, “It is not possible to continue the fight against the epidemic by postponing everything. We have to continue producing. What the numbers tell us is that we must return to life without being a slave to Covid-19. We will reopen life by producing. We will become stronger as we produce.” “As we get stronger, we will be able to take advantage of the opportunities that come our way.” he said.
Stating that the global value chains of companies have changed, Avdagiç said, “The most valid word will no longer be ‘maximizing efficiency and profit’. The most valid word will now be ‘durability’. Those who are ahead in the race for durability will also face the challenge.” said.
Pointing out that the Turkish business world has passed a very successful test against Covid-19 with its medical equipment production performance, Avdagiç said:
“Turkish companies from different sectors demonstrated their leading position and critical production capacity in the world in medical materials and devices. In this process, the Turkish business world joined hands with the institutions of our state and showed its ability to produce not only surgical masks, but also the machine and software that manufacture them.”
“We watched the countries that gave the world ‘order’ fall into their own troubles”
Şekib Avdagiç emphasized that the self-sacrificing work of the health army played a critical role in the fight against the epidemic and said, “From the caregiver to the professor, each of them, disregarding their lives, fought as if they were fighting on the front. In your presence, in the person of our Minister of Health, Mr. Fahrettin Koca, we present a message to all our healthcare personnel on behalf of our business world.” I express my gratitude once again.” he said.
Pointing out that the developed countries of the world are witnessing the helplessness of the pandemic and the collapse of their health systems, Avdagiç said:
“We saw that countries such as England, the USA and Italy had to make a choice in the face of ‘giving a ventilator to one of two critical patients and not being able to give it to the other’. We saw the perception and the facts. The Covid-19 epidemic showed us how countries that were thought to lead the world turned inward. They told the world ‘order and order’.” “We watched how the countries that provided the ‘post-American world’ forgot their roles and fell into their own troubles. That’s why many experts are discussing the ‘post-American world’.”
“As İTO, we made the biggest contribution to Breath Credit”
ITO President Avdagiç said that during this process, they discussed the opinions, problems and solution suggestions of the Istanbul business world with the ministries, governorship and TOBB and ensured that solutions were produced immediately.
Stating that they, as İTO, made the biggest contribution to the 2020 Breath Credit announced by TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu at the beginning of the week, Avdagiç said, “We continue to spend what our members receive for our members, as we have for 138 years.” said.
Stating that they follow the current problems hour by hour in the Istanbul Provincial Pandemic Board and all ministries and the governorship, Avdagiç noted that the ITO contributed to many of the measures taken regarding Covid-19.
Avdagiç said that they have no hesitation in meeting the needs of hospitals and that they attach importance to the supply of medical supplies.
“Turkey has the opportunity to emerge from the epidemic by writing a growth story different from the world”
Şekib Avdagiç stated that nearly 40 vocational and technical high schools built by ITO and 54 vocational high schools they patronized in Istanbul were victorious in this process, and that these high schools have the ability and production capability to make difficult conditions easier with the materials they produce, such as masks. noted what they showed.
Avdagiç concluded his words as follows:
“If we take into account our young and demanding population, Turkey has the opportunity to emerge from this epidemic by writing a different growth story than the rest of the world, despite all the constraints. In this epidemic, Turkey showed everyone its production capability. The importance of domestic production has emerged once again. Food security and self-sufficiency are key.” “Everyone has realized the vitality of being a power in modern agriculture. Now Turkey has a significant chance as the world economy contracts. Turkey will emerge from this epidemic by stimulating domestic demand and turning to domestic production, just like in the motto ‘We are enough for ourselves, my Turkey’. Thus, Turkey will overcome this epidemic “He will get through it with the least damage. Beyond getting through it with the least damage, he will come out of this disaster stronger if he focuses on the right targets.”
Source: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/ito-baskani-avdagic-ureterek-hayati-yeniden-acacagiz/1825264
