The sixth joint meeting of Arab and Turkish chambers and the Arab-Turkish Economic Forum was held in the city of Izmir, Türkiye, on July 7, 2025, with the participation of delegations from 14 Arab countries. The event also saw the presence of high-level Turkish officials, representatives from the Turkish private sector, commodity exchanges, chambers of commerce and industry, as well as presidents and board members of Arab and Turkish chambers. Prominent attendees included the President of the Union of Arab Chambers, Mr. Samir Majoul; the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Mr. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu; the Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafy; the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in Türkiye, H.E. Palestinian Ambassador Fayez Khaled Mustafa; and the Head of the Arab League Mission to Türkiye, H.E. Ambassador Abdelhamid Hamza, in addition to a number of accredited Arab ambassadors to Türkiye.
President of the Union of Arab Chambers, Mr. Samir Majoul, opened his speech by saluting “the organizers of this important meeting, which brings together an elite group of businesspeople and decision-makers from the Arab world and the friendly Republic of Türkiye.” On behalf of the Arab side, he expressed solidarity with Türkiye and its people in light of the painful wildfires in Izmir, offering sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
He also extended heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu on his re-election as President of the World Chambers Federation, describing this achievement as “a testament to his exceptional leadership and visionary approach in developing the global network of chambers and strengthening international economic cooperation.” He added, “Your continued leadership of the World Chambers Federation will undoubtedly lead to more progress and will boost economic growth and international trade. At the Union of Arab Chambers, we remain committed to collaborating with you to support the private sector and the role of chambers in the growth and development process.”
Majoul emphasized that “Arab-Turkish relations are not new—they are deeply rooted in history and are gaining increasing importance and vitality in light of current geopolitical challenges and global economic transformations. This meeting is a clear affirmation that Arab-Turkish cooperation is not a choice, but a strategic necessity to build a joint economic space based on integration—not competition—and on development—not division.”
He noted that “while the volume of trade between the Arab region and Türkiye reflects promising potential, it still falls short of our ambitions. This forum represents a real opportunity to exchange perspectives, form partnerships, and open new horizons for cooperation in critical and innovative sectors, particularly those that support the goals of sustainable development. Investment is the cornerstone of intergovernmental cooperation, and we must now go beyond commercial ties—important as they are—and focus on developing investment frameworks.”
“In light of global events and geopolitical and economic shifts that have disrupted global markets for food, medicine, and energy—especially supply chains for many essential goods—we must intensify cooperation to mitigate these consequences and concentrate on high value-added sectors,” he said.
He stressed that “the Union of Arab Chambers, as a representative of the Arab private sector, believes in the importance of partnership between the Arab countries and Türkiye. We need to reinforce and solidify the economic bridges connecting us, building on mutual trust, a stable investment environment, incentivizing legislation, and long-term partnerships that serve our people’s interests. We are fully prepared to work with our Turkish partners to activate bilateral initiatives, facilitate communication between business leaders, exchange expertise, and provide supportive platforms for joint projects—especially in promising markets within the Arab world and Türkiye.”
For his part, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers, Dr. Khaled Hanafy, said, “We are now living in a post-traditional globalization era, where efficiency in cost reduction and mass production is no longer enough. Today, the keys to sustainable growth and economic autonomy lie in the ability to build integrated regional value chains, innovate in business models, and link the real and digital economies.”
He emphasized that Arab–Turkish economic and trade relations have all the elements to become a successful model of effective regional partnership—be it the growing trade volume, or the overlapping investments in vital sectors like industry, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, and logistics. Still, the current numbers—while encouraging—do not yet reflect the full potential of this relationship. “As a group, we possess a large market, a strategic location, creative human capital, and abundant natural resources. What we need now is an integrative will that transcends simple trade exchange and reaches the level of productive partnerships.”
He called for “redefining the Arab–Turkish partnership on new foundations by promoting industrial integration through the establishment of joint industrial and logistics zones that can serve both Arab and European markets and be incorporated into global supply chains. We must also launch initiatives in green economy, renewable energy, and circular economy—sectors that offer immense opportunities for joint investment and align with global sustainability trends.”
Dr. Hanafy also emphasized enhancing cooperation in the fields of agricultural technology (AgriTech) and food security, where we share resources, markets, and technical capabilities, we will also support small and medium-sized enterprises and stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, especially among youth, as they are key drivers of growth and job creation.
He noted that “recent crises—from the pandemic to geopolitical tensions—have shown that over-reliance on distant markets can be costly. Therefore, building a coherent and smart regional economic system between the Arab countries and Türkiyeis not a luxury—it is a strategic imperative. We must move beyond the stage of trade exchange to joint planning and production, and create new investment models based on shared risks and returns.”
Dr. Hanafy concluded by stating, “At the Union of Arab Chambers, we believe that the role of chambers goes beyond promotion and hosting. It extends to shaping economic directions, guiding policy, and encouraging constructive dialogue between the private sector and policymakers. From this platform, I call for the establishment of a permanent Arab–Turkish Business Council that will transform ideas into actionable programs and define a clear roadmap for cooperation over the next five years.”
He reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to supporting this course and working with all partners to build a modern Arab–Turkish economic partnership founded on trust, governance, innovation, and sustainability—serving the interests of our people and the future of our region.
President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, Mr. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, stated that “the world is going through a difficult phase as global economic growth and trade volumes are slowing due to trade wars. Meanwhile, geopolitical risks and conflicts are escalating. That’s why we need strong international cooperation and solidarity. As ancient civilizations in this region, our strength lies in unity, not division—unity is power.”
He emphasized the need to strengthen the private sector in our countries through combined efforts. “In our era, a nation’s strength comes primarily from its private sector. Türkiye’s economic dynamism and strength depend heavily on its private sector. Thanks to this, we have become a leading country in industrial production and exports of industrial goods between Italy and China. We are among the largest producers of cars, white goods, construction materials, and clothing in many sectors. We are leading suppliers to Europe, and the second-largest car exporter to the EU after the EU itself. All of this was achieved by liberalizing trade and increasing competition. Because trade enriches; protectionism impoverishes. For developing countries’ stability and prosperity, trade must be freer.”
He continued: “We must all support free trade. After opening our doors to global competition and liberalizing trade, Türkiye became the leading industrial producer between Italy and China. We now export 60% of our products to the wealthy, advanced markets of Europe, which proves the quality, competitiveness, and consumer appeal of our goods. Additionally, we are among the global leaders in construction, tourism, and agriculture.”
He noted that Türkiye’s trade relations with Arab countries have significantly improved in recent years. “Twenty years ago, our exports to Arab countries were only $5 billion, accounting for 10% of Türkiye’s total exports. In 2023, they exceeded $45 billion, making up 20% of annual Turkish exports.”
At the conclusion of the meetings, which included high-level discussions, participants issued a series of key recommendations forming a roadmap to strengthen economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Arab countries and Türkiye:
· Establish a joint Arab–Turkish Chamber that outlines a clear roadmap for future cooperation amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
· Emphasize the importance of creating commodity exchanges between Türkiye and the Arab world to enhance trade, increase liquidity in markets, facilitate buying and selling, promote transparency, reduce trade risks, and attract both domestic and foreign investment.
· In light of artificial intelligence and the digital and industrial revolutions, call for the launch of a joint Arab–Turkish digital platform to boost trade and investment.
· Prioritize joint support for SMEs, especially under current economic and technological challenges.
· Promote knowledge transfer and collaboration through joint initiatives such as the establishment of technological universities, strategic research centers, and TIR convention implementation offices.
· Propose to the European Union an Arab–Turkish–EU integration initiative modeled after the former “EU Global Bridges” project, which linked European and Turkish companies with their counterparts in Egypt, Tunisia, and Palestine—also calling for stronger alliances to access EU funding for industry, trade, and climate-related initiatives.
· Expedite the development of mechanisms that boost trade and investment between the two sides, such as platforms under chamber unions to list tenders and opportunities.
· Reinforce economic cooperation in all sectors: joint manufacturing, investment encouragement, intra-regional trade, agriculture, food processing, transport, logistics, tourism, and infrastructure connectivity (electricity, oil, gas).
· Emphasize deeper industrial integration through exchange of components and production inputs, aiming to manufacture them locally when comparative advantages exist—especially in light of the EU’s new carbon border adjustment mechanism, which will affect export growth.
· Promote the creation of joint industrial zones and logistics hubs, linking them to support co-manufacturing and shared export development.
· Stress that cooperation should go beyond finished goods and include integrated industrial processes and components to mitigate global supply disruptions and increase local content in accessing Arab, African, and international markets.
· Emphasize the need for integration in land reclamation and food industries to address recurrent outbreaks, climate change, and geopolitical pressures—toward achieving agricultural and industrial self-sufficiency in food security.
· Increase focus on joint investment in pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, mutual product recognition, and shared R&D initiatives.
· Call on chambers and their members from both sides, especially those in construction and contracting, to build strong alliances to implement infrastructure projects in Africa and help rebuild Arab countries.
· Promote integration between research centers, training institutes, universities, and technology colleges, with mutual curriculum development aligned with labor market needs, establish incubators, connect them virtually, and collaborate on joint R&D projects.
Source: (Union of Arab Chambers, Edited)
