MÜSİAD EXPO 2024 / Diplomatic Missions Reception
26 November 2024
Our Esteemed Ministers,
Distinguished Ambassadors, Consuls General and Diplomatic Representatives,
Esteemed Business People and Valued Members of Our MÜSİAD Family,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I greet you with my deepest respect and affection.
Today we are all together experiencing the pride of this special day on which MÜSİAD EXPO opens its doors for the 20th time.
This event, one of the largest trade fairs of Türkiye and of our region, is an indicator not only of MÜSİAD but at the same time of our country's growing role in world trade and of its economic strength.
For one week MÜSİAD EXPO will make the heart of trade beat in İstanbul and will make significant contributions both to Türkiye's economic goals and to the understanding of global cooperation. I thank you for the support you have given to this meaningful event by honouring us with your presence, and I respectfully greet each one of you.
Esteemed Guests,
Throughout history, Türkiye has been the intersection point of trade and culture. These ancient lands have been the centre of production, cooperation and innovation in every era, from the Silk Road to the present day. As MÜSİAD, we bring this heritage together with the needs of the modern world; we work to strengthen Türkiye's strategic position in global trade even further.
This year MÜSİAD EXPO, which we are holding under the motto “Global Trade Is Here”, brings together participants from 94 countries and more than 300 companies from 24 sectors. We take great pleasure in organizing such a comprehensive gathering with the representatives of strategic sectors such as textiles, machinery, construction, food and the defence industry.
This success is the result of MÜSİAD's determination, resolve and the solid relations it has established with the world business community.
Distinguished Participants,
MÜSİAD EXPO goes beyond being merely a platform where trade is discussed. Drawing inspiration from our deep-rooted values, it also offers us a vision that gives direction to the future...
As MÜSİAD, in many of the works and events we carry out, above all our fair, we take as our basis the philosophy of the “Medina Market”, which represents an understanding of cooperation that is fair, trust-based and human-centred.
The understanding of the Medina Market is a commercial model in which solidarity, sharing and justice are experienced together. By carrying this philosophy into the modern business world, we continue to bring domestic and foreign business people together through trust-based partnerships and strong cooperation. Therefore we believe that throughout MÜSİAD EXPO not only commercial agreements will be made; at the same time long-term friendships and collaborations will be established.
Distinguished guests,
The international dimension of our fair reveals the brand value of MÜSİAD EXPO in global trade. Together with exhibiting companies from more than 20 countries, and with visitors coming from 94 different countries, we will display Türkiye's commercial strength and the dynamism of its business world on an international scale.
The purchasing delegations organized with the support of our Ministry of Trade bring our companies together with investors from all four corners of the world. A large group of investors from Malaysia, ministry-level representatives from Iraq, and large delegations from the United Kingdom and Algeria once again lay bare Türkiye's importance in the global business world.
MÜSİAD EXPO does not only offer its participants business opportunities; at the same time it opens new horizons for building the future. In this vein, our goal, God willing, is to reach a trade volume of USD 1 billion at the end of the fair.
Distinguished Guests, esteemed members of MÜSİAD,
A full programme awaits us throughout MÜSİAD EXPO. At the G20 Panel we will discuss the future of the world economy, at the Türkiye-Iraq Business Forum we will strengthen the commercial ties between the two countries, and with the MÜSİAD INVEST program we will bring international investors together with Turkish entrepreneurs. At our gala dinner we will once again reinforce our solidarity with the esteemed representatives of the business world.
On 29 November we will crown our fair with the presence of our esteemed President. This special moment will make MÜSİAD EXPO 2024 a turning point not only for Türkiye but also for global trade.
Distinguished guests, esteemed MÜSİAD Family,
Every piece of work we do at MÜSİAD EXPO is an investment in national economies as much as it is an investment we make in international trade and in the future. With this fair we also aim to open a door for the sake of transforming the future.
Of course this door does not open only onto trade... At the same time it opens onto the bond of brotherhood and onto peace.
Here today, on this platform where the business world shapes the future of global trade, we are not speaking only of the economy and trade. We also come together in order to make such meetings and events an occasion for drawing attention to the humanitarian tragedies taking place in different corners of the world and for making a joint call for justice to be established.
As we all know, the humanitarian crisis occurring in Gaza for more than a year has been deeply wounding the conscience of us all. This tragic process, in which innocent civilians, women and children have lost their lives, has constituted a serious test in terms of the protection of international law and human rights. While the people of Gaza struggle for life under severe humanitarian conditions, what is happening confronts us not as the problem of a single geography but as the common issue of all humanity.
While the statements and calls made before the United Nations and other international organizations are important, we believe that more concrete and effective steps must be taken to resolve this crisis. The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is an important development and reminds us of the responsibility of the international system in the face of human rights violations. However, the fact that this decision was taken far too late must not be overlooked either.
For the Israel-Palestine question is a crisis that the international community must resolve with determination for the sake of establishing peace and justice. It is essential that the problems in the region be brought to a solution with a lasting peace within the framework of international law. The protection of the fundamental human rights of the Palestinian people is of vital importance for the establishment of regional and global peace.
From here we make a call to the international community, and especially to influential global actors: concrete steps must be taken to put an end to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, and justice must be established. In this process the universal values of human rights must be taken as the basis and no one must be victimized.
As a country, throughout history we have been the voice and the conscience of oppressed geographies, and we will continue to be so. Standing by the Palestinian people is a humanitarian and moral responsibility. Yet we are also aware that this can be possible only through the joint effort not of Türkiye alone but of the entire international community. Moreover, as the business world, we believe that contributing to the defence of human values is not only a duty but at the same time a virtue.
The common goal of us all is that peace and justice be established in Gaza as soon as possible. Moreover, exerting effort on the path of justice, peace and human rights is the shared responsibility of us all.
Distinguished Participants,
This fair is a reflection of the strong strategies MÜSİAD has developed in line with its principle of “Global Vision with Local Values”. I invite you to contribute to this important organization and to shape the future of global trade together.
As I conclude my remarks, I thank everyone who has contributed to bringing this great organization to life. I hope that MÜSİAD EXPO 2024 will bring success to our country, to our nation and to the entire business world.And I respectfully greet all our participants.
May God protect you.
Mahmut Asmalı
President of MÜSİAD