Türkiye Focuses on Industry, Digital Transformation to Improve Investment Environment

Yilmaz speaks during the summit in London. (From his account on the X platform)
Yilmaz speaks during the summit in London. (From his account on the X platform)
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Türkiye Focuses on Industry, Digital Transformation to Improve Investment Environment

Yilmaz speaks during the summit in London. (From his account on the X platform)
Yilmaz speaks during the summit in London. (From his account on the X platform)

Türkiye has finalized a plan to improve the investment environment, with the aim to simplify legislation and administrative procedures and accelerate digital and green transformation in industry. The country has also pledged to continue working to reduce inflation and achieve permanent price stability.

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said that within the scope of studies of the Coordination Council for Improving the Investment Environment, an action plan consisting of 57 items was prepared in cooperation with non-governmental organizations, the private sector and public institutions, to facilitate and simplify legislation and administrative and judicial processes related to investments in the country.

The plan also seeks to develop locations for investment opportunities, especially for industry, provide target-oriented financing, accelerate the digital and green transformation of industry, and meet the needs of vocational training and labor markets.

On the other hand, Yilmaz stressed the Turkish government’s commitment to reduce inflation to achieve permanent price stability.

Addressing a meeting with international investors in London on the sidelines of the Global Soft Power Summit 2024, the minister said that the medium-term economic program announced by the Turkish government last September was achieving its desired goals.

He noted that although inflation has reached its peak at about 65 percent, the Turkish government is confident that anti-inflation policies will lead to a sharp downward trend in the second half of 2024. He expected inflation to reach about 15 percent in 2025, with a goal of reaching single-digit numbers in 2026.

Yilmaz pointed to the quality and diversity of investments in Türkiye, with its strategic location at the crossroads of three continents, in addition to its wide network of free trade agreements, which makes it a center for commercial and economic activities.



Saudi Arabia to Host Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Saudi Arabia to Host Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), will host the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum (MIPF) in October, underscoring the Kingdom's significant industrial transformation, in line with Vision 2030, and aiming to expand the Saudi industrial base and solidify its position as a leading global industrial center.
Organized by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources in Riyadh, the forum is yet another substantial industrial development initiative the Kingdom relentlessly takes.
By carrying out programs focused on innovation, diversification, and boosting of the industrial sectors, including 12 strategic sectors identified in the National Industrial Strategy, Saudi Arabia seeks to raise competitiveness and support its national economy.
Beyond the National Industrial Strategy, the Kingdom has invested in developing industrial infrastructure, such as industrial cities and special economic zones, and fostered international cooperation to facilitate transfer of knowledge and technology. The forum, in which global experts and decision makers participate, is an ideal platform to exchange expertise and set best practices in industrial policies.
Saudi Arabia aims to develop policies that are in line with international standards, thus increasing the global competitiveness of its industrial sector. By leading initiatives for sustainable industrial practices, promoting international cooperation, exchanging expertise, and adopting environmentally friendly technologies, the Kingdom seeks to enhance the flexibility of its supply chains, in line with the Global Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.
The industrial sector in Saudi Arabia witnessed significant developments in 2023, including announcing major investment opportunities in targeted sectors, issuing a license for the first Saudi-made electric car brand "Ceer", and opening the first electric vehicle manufacturing factory "Lucid". The Kingdom aims to produce over 300,000 cars annually by 2030.
Attracting private sector investments is crucial to achieving the goals of the National Industrial Strategy. The industrial sector focuses on enhancing integration among various sectors and their supply chains, developing infrastructure, encouraging joint investments, promoting local content, and empowering national companies through policies, financing, and training.
In July 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources launched the Future Factories Program, which aims to transform 4,000 factories from labor-intensive models to efficient, automated operations utilizing advanced industrial solutions. This initiative seeks to enhance competitiveness, improve product quality, and increase exports of Saudi non-oil products.
The ministry has also made strides in improving the regulatory and legislative environment for the industrial sector, creating an environment conducive to investments and fair competition.
The ministry's goals for 2024 and 2025 include attracting investments in targeted industrial sectors, reaching a total investment volume of SAR451 billion, adding 1,500 products to the mandatory local content list, increasing the industrial sector's contribution to non-oil GDP to SAR412 billion, and boosting non-oil exports to over SAR300 billion. Moreover, the ministry aims to launch the industrial sector governance initiative to stimulate integration and concerted efforts among relevant stakeholders.
The second edition of the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum, hosted by Riyadh under the theme "Transforming Challenges into Sustainable Solutions through Industrial Policies", will bring together some 3,000 industry leaders from around the world, including decision makers, CEOs, industry specialists, and people interested in developing industrial policies.