Mr. President,

Honourable Speaker of the Assembly

Honourable Prime Minister

Most Esteemed Ministers

Distinguished Protocol,

My fellow travellers, the Representative of our MÜSİAD Family in Northern Cyprus,

Esteemed Members of the Press

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to begin my remarks by expressing the honour and the pride I feel at being together with you on the anniversary of one of the most honourable acts of resistance in our history, which we commemorated yesterday.

The Turkish Cypriot People is in fact the name of an epic that lives not only in a geography, but in the heart and the conscience of the entire Turkish Nation.

On this occasion, once again, on behalf of my country and the institution I represent, I thank you, the dear people of Cyprus, who uphold the sacred memory of our martyrs on these lands.

Mr. President,

Esteemed Assembly,

For a long time the world has been rapidly losing the balances it had grown accustomed to. We are passing through a chain of multi-layered crises that shake economic stability, deepen political uncertainties and erode the sense of social trust.

Our region lies right on the fault line of the geopolitical balances that affect the whole world and that all countries follow closely. As a region we find ourselves right in the middle of many global events, such as the Russia-Ukraine War, the war that has continued for a long time in Syria right beside us and the new Syrian process that has begun with many question marks, the chronic conflicts in the Middle East and North African countries, Israel’s oppression, the American Elections, the Trade Wars and the Eastern Mediterranean debates.

The lessons to be drawn from history show that the moment nations fail to take charge of their own destiny, that destiny becomes an instrument of the calculations of others. We Turks know best what the yellowed pages of history whisper, especially about such periods.

When we look at the world map today, we are all together experiencing;

  • the footsteps of war in Europe,
  • the deepening conflicts in the Middle East,
  • the struggles for economic hegemony in the Far East,
  • the wars over resources and influence in Africa,
  • and on a global scale, chain shocks ranging from the climate crisis to the food crisis.

The effect of the USA’s customs tariffs alone on the world economy is estimated at close to 3 trillion dollars a year. This situation will change the entire supply chain in the world. It is evident that China will display a more invasive and more appetitive attitude in order to balance this situation. This points to the risk that, day by day, we will lose our existing commercial potential with Europe, with which our economic integration is at the highest level.

Believe me, this is not merely a cyclical fluctuation; it is the painful birth of a new world order.

It is precisely at this point that rebuilding economic reason, strengthening trust-based cooperation and bringing to the fore development models kneaded with humane values carry vital importance.

Every development taking place in our near geography directly affects our prosperity, our security and our future. Strategic regions such as Cyprus are the points in this equation where both the threats are reflected most sharply and the opportunities arise earliest.

As a region, we are very close to both the risks and the opportunities of this new period. If we are united and do not fall apart, we will attain the opportunities of this new period.

As MÜSİAD, more than a business world organization, we represent a struggle that walks with the values we believe in and that crowns development with brotherhood. In this respect, our Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Branch is not merely a representative office, but a natural extension of our vision that takes just prosperity and regional peace in the Eastern Mediterranean as its basis.

However, in order for this potential to be brought to life, we need more enterprise, stronger capital and closer solidarity. It is precisely for this reason that, as of today, we are repositioning our TRNC Branch not merely as a representative unit, but as a strategic pillar of MÜSİAD’s regional development mission.

Our concern is not only economic; it is a matter of rising again and rising anew on the scale of civilization.

What falls to us today is not to save the day, but to build the future.

It is to pursue not competition but cooperation; not profit but value; not short-term gain but long-term development.

And most importantly, the strongest harbour to take shelter in during this stormy age is shared faith, shared values and a shared vision.

With this understanding, I hope that our General Assembly will be a means to good outcomes, and I would like to state that we will always continue to support the work of our MÜSİAD Cyprus branch and that we will stand beside every enterprise that adds value to the future of this beautiful island. Again, on behalf of myself and my institution, I extend my deepest gratitude to His Excellency President Ersin Tatar above all and to all the statesmen who honoured us with their attendance at this meaningful General Assembly.

May God make our unity and our brotherhood everlasting.

I Offer My Respects