EİB Brings Together Trade Attachés and Companies

Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri brought together on 22 November firms with Trade Advisors who have served in 9 different target countries, to inform companies about market-entry methods, business culture in those markets and to provide direct insight into foreign trade legislation. Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri Coordinator President Jak Eskinazi said: "In 2022, we achieved exports of 26 billion dollars, a 13% increase compared to the previous year, to Russia, Georgia, India, China, Malaysia, Hungary, Iran, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates. Ten individuals who have served as Trade Advisors in these countries held bilateral meetings with Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri member firms and shared their experience. We achieved exports of 24 billion dollars to these 9 countries during January-October 2023, a 20% increase compared to the previous year. The 'One-on-One Meeting Event with Returning Trade Advisors' was first held in İzmir in 2016 under Ege İhracatçı Birlikleri organization. Subsequently, our Ministry of Trade continued to coordinate this event in our other cities. Each year our event receives strong participation from outside İzmir. We took a break during the pandemic period. This year we held it for the sixth time," he said. President Eskinazi stated: "Our returning Trade Advisors have been sharing their experience directly with our exporters in a bilateral meeting format for approximately 7 years. Our Trade Advisors, representing Turkey, work with representatives of public institutions, private sector and civil society organizations in the countries where they serve, putting in years of intensive effort day and night to increase Turkey's exports. We create a platform where they can transfer this experience to exporters. Our exporting firms showed strong interest this year as well. Each of our Trade Advisors held meetings with 20 firms from both industrial and agricultural sectors. We plan to continue these meetings in the coming period. To reach our goal of 375 billion dollars in goods exports by 2028, we need to diversify our export markets. The 9 countries where the Trade Advisors we invited this year have served account for 12% of Turkey's total exports. We aim to increase our share of imports from these countries through such events," he said. The event, held on 22 November 2023 Wednesday between 09:30-17:30 at Wyndham Grand İzmir Özdilek, was preceded by an information presentation by Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Trade's Trade Research and Risk Assessment Department Recep Demir and Head of the Foreign Missions Department Evren Subaşı on the work and activities of our Trade Advisors/Attachés.