Turkey’s minister of development, Lutfi
Elvan, recently spoke at a joint meeting between Qatari and Turkish businessmen, which was hosted by the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI).
Elvan praised the
ties between the two countries, saying that the Commercial Bank of Qatar’s
acquisition of Turkey’s Alternatifbank shows the
confidence of Qatari businessmen in the Turkish economy.
Elvan commended Qatar for opening a tourism office in
Turkey, speaking about how this decision will help boost tourism between the
two countries. He noted that Istanbul is a favorite destination for Qatari tourists.
Furthermore, Elvan spoke about trade between Qatar and Turkey,
quoting the trade exchange between two countries at $1.3 billion.
“The growth rate in Turkey reached
5 percent in 2015 percent, and will range between 4.5 and 5 percent in the
current year,” he said. “Turkish
economy is built on strong and solid foundations. Factories continue production
and investment companies have not been affected by the recent incident.”
In attendance at the meeting was Qatar
Chamber Vice-Chairman Mohamed bin Tawar.
“Last year, Turkish companies
managed to get projects worth $2.5 billion in Qatar, he said, adding that in
the coming year, Qatar would be spending nearly $150 billion on infrastructure
projects and Fifa World Cup, which could give Turkish companies a great
opportunity to participate in these projects,” Tawar said.
