TÜSİAD International organized a seminer on the business and investment opportunities in Africa

TÜSİAD's strategic business development unit TÜSİAD international  organized a seminar titled “Business and Investment Opportunities in Africa” on May 31st 2012 at Ceylan Intercontinental Hotel in Istanbul.

Opening speech of the seminar was given by President of TÜSİAD International Mr. Osman F. Boyner. Mr. Osman F. Boyner indicated that after decades of struggle against political instability in African countries, regional problems and ensuing poverty, the continent is relatively stable now, and he stated that as the postponed economic activities and demands are awakened, this  positive trend is expected to grow even stronger in the coming period. Mr. Boyner emphasized the great opportunities for the foreign investors in African countries where the economic growth rates are high, prospects of growth are bright and demographic characteristics are suitable and he added that Africa is playing a critical role in the process of global economic recovery.

The seminar organized with the purpose of providing information on the investment opportunities, public procurement, available international and regional financial facilities in Africa consisted of two sessions. The focus of the first session was business and investment opportunity and available financial facilities for doing business in Africa. The session  was chaired by Vice President of TÜSİAD International Dr. Markus C. Slevogt. Ms. Neşide Taş Anvaripour, Manager/Head of Infrastructure Finance & Public-Private Partnership at African Development Bank,  Mr. Mohamed Aref, Research Analyst at COMESA RIA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.  - Regional Investment Agency) and  Mr. Johan Malin, International Institution Project Manager at Flanders Investment and Trade  were the speakers of the first session. Furthermore,  Mr. Olivier Lambert, Manager of the  Regional Office for Europe, Middle East and Africa of  MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, a member of the World Bank Group), Mr. K. Aftab Ahmed, Director of Financial Markets for Europe, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa of IFC (International Finance Corporation, a member of World Bank Group) made their presentations in this session.

The second session of the seminar chaired by Mr. Tarık Sarıoğlu, Member of  the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD International dealt with Turkey's approach to Africa. Turkey's perspectives were presented in this session by Mr. Hüseyin Avni Aksoy, recently appointed  Ambassador to Nairobi of Turkey  and by Müge Varol Ilıcak, Deputy General Manager in charge of Africa, Ministry of Economy of Turkey. The approach of the Turkish business world  was represented by the presentations of Mr. Şirzat Subaşı, Deputy General Manager of Arçelik, Mr. Osman Merzeci, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Cameroon  and Mr.  Tamer Taşkın, Coordinator President of Turkey-Africa Business Councils of DEİK / President of Turkey-South Africa Business Council of DEİK.