MÜSİAD, TOBB, TESK, TİM, DEİK, TÜSİAD, TMB and YASED released a joint press statement on Saudi Arabia's approach towards Turkish companies and products. The statement said, "As Turkish businesspeople, we expect Saudi officials to take concrete steps to resolve the problems in our commercial and economic relations."
The statement included the following expressions:
"As Turkish businesspeople, we attach great importance to maintaining our commercial and economic relations with Saudi Arabia without any problems.
We believe that the development and growth of the Turkish and Saudi economies, which are complementary to each other, is possible through the continuation of trade between our countries within the framework of the win-win principle.
For we know that trade is the most important element that enriches peoples and increases prosperity.
Despite all this, we regretfully observe that an increasingly negative attitude has begun to be displayed towards our country's companies in Saudi Arabia.
In the complaints we receive from our companies, which have also been reflected in the press, we see that Saudi officials state that imports are not being made from Türkiye.
In addition, it is also stated that many Saudi companies procuring goods from our companies have been made to sign undertakings not to import from Türkiye.
Again, global logistics companies have recently been warning their customers about the obstacles applied to Turkish products in Saudi Arabia, stating that they should be prepared for very long waiting times at Saudi customs solely for products coming from Türkiye, and even that imports from Türkiye may be blocked.
Therefore, this issue has gone beyond the dimension of bilateral economic relations and has also become a problem in terms of global supply chains.
Finally, the post shared on 3 October 2020 on his own social media account by Ajlan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Ajlan, President of the Council of Saudi Chambers, stating that boycotting Turkish products is the duty of all Saudi citizens, has caused great disappointment among the businesspeople of both countries.
All these negative developments to which we have drawn attention above also apply to Turkish contracting companies, which have been contributing to the Saudi Arabian economy for years and which have to date successfully completed hundreds of important projects in the country. For quite a long time, our contractors have not been invited to the important tenders that are opened, and no new large projects have been awarded to them.
We are deeply saddened by the discriminatory treatment to which our companies are subjected in Saudi Arabia.
Official or unofficial practices aimed at hindering trade between our countries will be reflected negatively on our commercial relations and will harm the economies and peoples of both countries.
Reducing the supply of goods from Türkiye will also lower the business volumes and revenues of Saudi companies and will negatively affect the purchasing power of Saudi Arabian citizens who prefer Turkish products in terms of quality, price and reliability.
In this framework, as Turkish businesspeople, we expect Saudi officials to take concrete steps to resolve the problems in our commercial and economic relations.
We sincerely believe that we can solve every kind of problem and overcome all obstacles together through constructive dialogue and mutual cooperation."