Dear Colleagues,
It is my genuine pleasure as the Chairman of the Türkiye-US Business Council (TAİK) to welcome you all to our website.
Türkiye and the United States has had a long-standing, consequential partnership, characterized by shared values, ideals and a concerted global outlook. The pillars of this partnership are the promotion of peace, democracy, freedom, and prosperity. Though there have been controversies in the past over issues of shared concern, our relationship has remained strong and will continue to prosper.
At the Türkiye-US Business Council (TAİK), our main aim is to build on these shared values by improving bilateral trade, investment, and industrial cooperation between Türkiye and the United States. Our organization was formed in 1985 as Türkiye’s first ever business council, and today, we remain committed to the same ideals and objectives that have driven our success over the last thirty-three years.
It was a momentous event the world over when American President Ronald Reagan and Turkish Prime Minister Turgut Özal convened to “discuss a wide variety of issues of mutual importance to the [two] countries.” The historic meeting that took place in 1985 paved the way for the establishment of Türkiye-US Business Council (TAİK) and brought forward a new wave of revitalization in the two countries’ relations. There is no better foundation on which to expand and deepen our ties and tackle the challenges that both our nations face than through strengthening our cooperation on trade, investment, and industrial relations.
By tripling its economy since the beginning of the new millennia, Türkiye’s economic growth has impressed the world. The country has displayed unprecedented growth since the beginning of the 2000s, and incredible durability and stamina in these past few years of hefty uncertainty. A carefully thought-out macroeconomic strategy as well as prudent fiscal policies and major structural reforms in effect since 2002 have all combined to help Türkiye assimilate its economy into the globalized world, while transforming the country into one of the major recipients of FDI in its region. Some have even called this the “Turkish Miracle.” However, what we see is not a “miracle,” but rather an outcome of prudent policies implemented by the Turkish government over the last decade; and smart, creative, and entrepreneurial Turks and Americans taking advantage of these policies.
Türkiye and the United States share a unique and distinguished relationship, and the mainstay of this relationship is our economic and commercial engagement. Sustaining economic growth is an important objective for both our nations, and strengthening our partnership and promoting investments is central to achieving it. Working together allows us to deepen our relationship and address shared problems. We are dedicated to enhancing corporate ties, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and expanding areas for cooperation in various fields of business.
Turkish-American economic ties have shown a surging trend in the last few years. However, there is ample room for significant growth in economic engagement between the two countries. Türkiye is one of the most important emerging markets in world; The Turkish government has set a target to be among the top ten economies in the world by 2023, the centenary of the Turkish Republic. We believe that it is highly unlikely for Türkiye to achieve this goal without making a significant leap in business relations with the United States.
I would like to invite you all to investigate our website to find out more about our activities. As the Türkiye-US Business Council (TAİK), we believe that the future belongs to a much closer cooperation between the United States and Türkiye. We look forward to accomplishing our ideal with your support.
Yours sincerely,
Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ
TAİK Chairman
