The Anatolian Economic Diplomacy Program was organized at the Bursa Branch of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) under the coordination of the MÜSİAD Head Office Diplomatic Relations Commission. Italian Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi was hosted at the program, which was also attended by MÜSİAD President Mahmut Asmalı. Business and investment opportunities in Italy were presented at the event.

ASMALI: A RECORD WAS BROKEN IN TRADE VOLUME WITH USD 25.6 BILLION

Noting that through the program in which diplomats are hosted they aim to promote the potential of Anatolian cities, MÜSİAD President Mahmut Asmalı said: “Thanks to the program, our entrepreneurs in the provinces get to know the countries much more closely, reach markets more easily, open representative offices and start trading. Within the scope of the program, together with Bursa we have hosted 10 ambassadors in various cities of our Anatolia. We plan to extend this work to younger generations as well. Our members will benefit to the maximum extent from the strong economic structure of Italy, the world's 8th largest economy. Italy, with which we have common interests in the Mediterranean Basin, is one of Türkiye's most important trade partners. Indeed, last year the trade volume reached a record level of USD 25.6 billion. As cooperation activities increase, great gains will emerge for both countries.”

ŞENOCAK: MORE THAN 500 BURSA COMPANIES EXPORT TO ITALY

Alparslan Şenocak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the MÜSİAD Bursa Branch, said: “Our Bursa has a very important role in the context of commercial relations with Italy. In addition to the 511 companies exporting from our city to Italy, there are also 38 companies with Italian capital operating in our city. The exports of USD 122 million made from Bursa to Italy in 2021 carried our city to second place in this category after İstanbul. This picture shows how economically vibrant Bursa's production and export capability is in both the national and the international arena. I invite our business world to contribute to the further deepening of the strong cooperation between Türkiye and Italy. I believe that the synergy we have created at MÜSİAD Bursa will bring with it very important gains.”

MARRAPODI: BURSA IS A PERFECT CITY FOR PARTNERSHIP

Italian Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi, who stated that he came to Bursa 30 years ago as an ordinary tourist, said: “Bursa, which impresses with its strength particularly in textiles and automotive, is a perfect city for Turkish-Italian partnership. The TOFAŞ-FIAT cooperation is the most symbolic example of this. There are truly very strong ties between Italians and Turks. Both our diplomatic and our commercial connections are very strong. We are two countries with broad opportunities to do business. Türkiye is our largest partner after Germany, and number one in the Mediterranean. The trade between us provides great returns to both sides. We have to strive for relations to be better. I believe we will reach the trade volume target of USD 30 billion set for 2030 much earlier than that.”

LANDI: OUR INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES ARE SIMILAR

Riccardo Landi, İstanbul Director of the Italian Trade and Promotion Agency (ICE), said: “Our trade with Türkiye is progressing in a balanced way. There is a process that provides gains to both sides. The industrial structures of Bursa companies and Italian companies are very similar. We have partnerships mainly in the machinery and automotive sectors. We are ready for every kind of cooperation to increase joint work that raises mutual benefit. If MÜSİAD members wish to trade with Italy, they can contact our Agency. We can direct these companies of ours to the necessary places in terms of both trade and investment.”

PRODUCTION FACILITIES WERE EXAMINED

MÜSİAD Diplomatic Relations Commission Chairman Osman Nuri Önügören, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Mayor Fethi Yıldız and Osmangazi Municipality Deputy Mayor Hüseyin Binbaşı also attended the program. The Italian delegation hosted by MÜSİAD also came together with Bursa Governor Mahmut Demirtaş. The delegation also carried out examinations at production facilities in which Italian companies are partners and received information about the work