The world is going through an epidemic that occurs once in a hundred years. With the intensification of vaccination studies, a relative slowdown and then a stable trend prevails in our country. Countries that progress slowly in this regard are forced to face closures and quarantines again. Aside from the economic and social consequences of the process, the increasing losses once again reveal the seriousness of the virus. Unfortunately, it is not possible that the epidemic will leave us in the short term unless a global and coordinated fight is put forward. In this respect, it is worth noting that more effective concentration is required on both compliance with hygiene conditions and vaccination. Our country’s increasing foreign trade, especially during this period, has opened brand new trade doors for us that we can make sustainable in the long term. Türkiye is the only country in the Eurasian region other than China that can carry out efficient and effective production. Therefore, as global brands and buyers turn their attention to our country, it is essential that we manage this process correctly. It seems especially important to implement infrastructure and raw material investments, and to deliver these over time without imposing a financial burden on businesses. We need to continue working in harmony between the public and private sectors in order to seize this opportunity, which has rarely come our way in many years, and turn it into permanent gains. In particular, the implementation of platforms where NGOs like us can play an active role is very valuable for both our businesses and our country.
As you know, commodity prices are following an upward trend, especially cotton and fossil fuels. Many reasons such as disruptions in global logistics networks, increases in transportation costs, problems encountered in the production and supply of raw materials, ups and downs in the supply and demand balance, drought, weakness in agricultural production, increases in energy costs, unemployment brought on by the pandemic have upset the economic balances in the world. Inflation is now being talked about in the USA, Europe and many other developed countries. The people of these countries, who have difficulty making ends meet despite their high incomes, are trying to find a way out. Realizing that it is not possible to live without producing, these countries are now examining the mistakes of the past and preparing to build new supply chains. China’s restriction on energy supply to certain sectors, especially light industry, has opened new areas of maneuver for countries like us that specialize in these fields. In particular, the EU is reconsidering its Far East-centered strategy at the point of production. As we progressed through the process, serious problems arose in countries with inadequate social policies and poorly functioning health mechanisms. The possibility that the difficulties experienced will turn into an all-out social explosion should not be ignored. In this period, our country is following an important and rational path towards the future with its investments, especially in the field of health, and economic policies focusing on production and exports. From this perspective, it is possible to say that all indicators are on our side and regions such as Laleli, which have turned to foreign trade for decades, can benefit from this. The most important point we need to make is not to pause in future investments while managing demand. Because when the day comes and the process returns to normal, our ability to make a difference among our competitors depends only on the strategic investments we make during this period. It is good to know that we still have a lot to do, especially in terms of digitalization, green production, branding and developing joint projects.
I wish you and your family health, peace and happiness as we go through the difficult processes of the pandemic.
