In addition to a good heart, money and medicine (today), a plan of action to get trade going again is the next step (tomorrow). With that in mind, the Chamber of Commerce Netherlands – Turkiye foundation took part in the ‘Business support Turkiye’ meeting in The Hague organised by the Dutch employers association VNO-NCW on 22 February.
Participants included the Minister of Foreign Affairs Liesje Schreinemacher, the Turkish Minister of Trade Affairs Mehmet Muş, the Turkish Ambassador to the Netherlands Selçuk Ünal, the host and chairman of VNO-NCW Ingrid Thijssen, the chairman of Hotiad, Hikmet Gürcüoğlu and the owner of Corendon, Atilay Uslu.
A list of possible action points was shared informally in advance by the Chamber of Commerce Netherlands – Türkiye foundation to stakeholders in its network. We are pleased that a number of points were, implicitly and/or explicitly, embraced by certain speakers.
🏙 City partnerships: currently there are only partnerships between the Netherlands and Turkiye between Alkmaar + Bergama; Amsterdam + Istanbul/Şişli & Izmit; Delft + Adapazarı/Sakarya. However, no partnership with a city in the earthquake-affected region. That is why the Chamber of Commerce foundation advocates an entrepreneurial partnership, for example with Kahramanmaras and Hatay.
⚡ Sustainable energy supply: as an example and for inspiration for others, we can mention the industrial, wooden pellet-fired boiler that was donated by a benefactor – via the Chamber of Commerce foundation – to Turkiye. Several streets or hospital complexes could supply hot water.
🤝 Trade missions: entrepreneurs should participate in trade missions to affected sectors, industries and / or commerce. Goal: matching Dutch importers with Turkish producers. The affected city of Adana has already been visited by a Dutch trade mission facilitated by the foundation in 2021.
Disaster training was not mentioned as such by speakers during the VNO-NCW meeting. Although this already exists in Turkiye, one can ask the critical question whether another form of disaster training is needed. A new private initiative for companies has therefore been created. Ask the Chamber of Commerce foundation for more information.
“National logistics plan” was also not mentioned at the meeting, while it turned out that there is a need for smooth (aid) supply chains. For several years now, an employee of the foundation has been arguing through the UN for more attention for a logistics (research) agenda supported by market players and government.
Do you want to help your Turkish colleagues on the other side of the supply chain in the longer term with the much-needed restart of their companies in the affected region?
Do you want to consult with your trading colleagues first? Entrepreneurs can use (free of charge) the meeting facilities of the Chamber of Commerce Netherlands – Turkiye foundation in Rotterdam.
