Turkey and Mexico need to sign a free trade deal and lift trade barriers, says Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, head of Turkey’s Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges
Hisarcıklıoğlu (L) meets with Carlos Slim, the world’s wealthiest man according to the Forbes magazine, in Mexico City, to discuss the Mexican businessman’s possible investments in Turkey, especially in the telecoms sector. Slim plans to visit Turkey soon. Courtesy of TOBB
Obstacles to trade between Turkey and Mexico should be lifted immediately and the two countries should sign a free trade agreement as soon as possible, said Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), speaking at the Mexico-Turkey Business Forum in Mexico City Mexico over the weekend.
“Turkish businessmen have turned a blind eye to Mexio. We are the most active entrepreneurs in the region, but we have missed out on Mexico,” said Hisarcıkloğlu adding that in order to have a say in the global arena, Turkey needs to trade with Mexico. To help this, the two countries should agree to lift visa requirements and double taxation, as well as protecting investments, he added.
TOBB head meets Slim
Hisarcıklıoğlu also had the opportunity to visit Mexican national Carlos Slim, declared the world’s richest man in 2010 and 2011 by Forbes magazine, with a fortune of approximately $70 billion. Slim told Hisarcıklıoğlu that he looked favorably on investing in Turkey, especially in the real estate and construction, telecommunications sector, according to the Anatolia news agency. Slim is heavily involved in Mexico’s telecommunications sector (Telmex and America Movil) and has several investments in other industries such as banking, technology and retail. Anatolia news agency quoted Hisarcıklıoğlu as saying that Slim was planning a trip to Turkey as soon as this summer, and that he would be given the opportunity to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to Hisarcıklıoğlu, Slim said Turkey was a “shining star,” and that if Turkey and Mexico were able to maintain close relations over the next ten years, both countries would be promoted to the status of truly developed countries.
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