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Turkish women entrepreneurs want the border with Armenia to open
YEREVAN, April 8, /ARKA/. The USAID-funded Enterprise Development and
Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project and the Women's Forum
non-governmental organization are holding a two-day forum in Yerevan
for Armenian and Turkish businesswomen with the theme of the
establishment of trade and economic relations.
The forum aims to familiarize Turkish businesswomen with the business
climate in Armenia, its tax and customs systems, the business
registration processes, as well as present them with a networking
opportunity in order to support the establishment of trade and
economic relations between the two countries.
The forum is being attended by guests from USAID Armenia, other
international organizations, the President of the Eastern and
South-Eastern Business Women `Dokunkad' Association Nevin Il, the
President of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Diyaeddin
Gezer, as well as the President and members of Women's Forum NGO. They
encouraged the participating businesswomen
to take advantage of the networking and direct negotiation
opportunities presented by the event.
Over 30 Armenian businesswomen are participating in the forum,
representing various industries including tourism, medical
cosmetology, sweets and dessert, arts and crafts, textile
manufacturing, construction and the production of construction of
materials. The Turkish delegation includes over 35 business women from
the tourism, medicine, construction, packaging, diary production, and
freight industries.
On the first day the forum featured an exhibition of products by
Armenian and Turkish businesswomen, and participants heard from the
Armenian Development Agency and the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship
Development National Center. The second day of the forum will be
marked
with presentations from the State Revenue Committee and
business-to-business meetings with Armenian counterparts.
`The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border is essential for economic
development of the two countries,' said Nevin Il.
"Armenia and Turkey are neighbors and have much in common. We believe
that bilateral cooperation in trade will be successful. Establishment
of trade and friendly relations between Turkey and Armenia and the
opening of borders are very important, "she said.
According to her, development of trade relations between countries
with closed borders is extremely difficult.
"But we believe that these difficulties can be overcome. I think that
trade will bring together the two peoples and lead to the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border," she said.
Diyaeddin Gezer said development of bilateral relations will be
enhanced if the railroad between Turkey and Armenia resume operation.
"We will make all the efforts to push for the resumption of the
operation of the railway. To this end, we have already applied to the
Turkish prime minister and president, "Gezer said.
"We believe that if the border between the two countries opens
Armenia's trade with Turkey will account for about 55-60% of its
overall trade," she said.
According to Armenia's national Statistical Service, Turkish-Armenian
trade in January-February 2013 was $24.8 million, increasing by 7.2
percent from a year before.
Established in May 2002, Women's Forum is a non-governmental
organization aimed to support women in entrepreneurship and
leadership, enhance the creation of necessary favorable conditions for
the promotion of women in social, business and professional fields,
and advocate for women's rights in different spheres of social and
civil development.
The USAID-funded Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness
(EDMC) Project seeks to improve Armenia's business environment and
support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This five-year project aims to increase employment and income in
Armenia by promoting growth in select value chains that have strong
export potential - high technologies,
pharmaceuticals/biotechnologies, food processing, and hospitality.
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YEREVAN, April 8, /ARKA/. The USAID-funded Enterprise Development and
Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project and the Women's Forum
non-governmental organization are holding a two-day forum in Yerevan
for Armenian and Turkish businesswomen with the theme of the
establishment of trade and economic relations.
The forum aims to familiarize Turkish businesswomen with the business
climate in Armenia, its tax and customs systems, the business
registration processes, as well as present them with a networking
opportunity in order to support the establishment of trade and
economic relations between the two countries.
The forum is being attended by guests from USAID Armenia, other
international organizations, the President of the Eastern and
South-Eastern Business Women `Dokunkad' Association Nevin Il, the
President of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Diyaeddin
Gezer, as well as the President and members of Women's Forum NGO. They
encouraged the participating businesswomen
to take advantage of the networking and direct negotiation
opportunities presented by the event.
Over 30 Armenian businesswomen are participating in the forum,
representing various industries including tourism, medical
cosmetology, sweets and dessert, arts and crafts, textile
manufacturing, construction and the production of construction of
materials. The Turkish delegation includes over 35 business women from
the tourism, medicine, construction, packaging, diary production, and
freight industries.
On the first day the forum featured an exhibition of products by
Armenian and Turkish businesswomen, and participants heard from the
Armenian Development Agency and the Small and Medium Entrepreneurship
Development National Center. The second day of the forum will be
marked
with presentations from the State Revenue Committee and
business-to-business meetings with Armenian counterparts.
`The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border is essential for economic
development of the two countries,' said Nevin Il.
"Armenia and Turkey are neighbors and have much in common. We believe
that bilateral cooperation in trade will be successful. Establishment
of trade and friendly relations between Turkey and Armenia and the
opening of borders are very important, "she said.
According to her, development of trade relations between countries
with closed borders is extremely difficult.
"But we believe that these difficulties can be overcome. I think that
trade will bring together the two peoples and lead to the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border," she said.
Diyaeddin Gezer said development of bilateral relations will be
enhanced if the railroad between Turkey and Armenia resume operation.
"We will make all the efforts to push for the resumption of the
operation of the railway. To this end, we have already applied to the
Turkish prime minister and president, "Gezer said.
"We believe that if the border between the two countries opens
Armenia's trade with Turkey will account for about 55-60% of its
overall trade," she said.
According to Armenia's national Statistical Service, Turkish-Armenian
trade in January-February 2013 was $24.8 million, increasing by 7.2
percent from a year before.
Established in May 2002, Women's Forum is a non-governmental
organization aimed to support women in entrepreneurship and
leadership, enhance the creation of necessary favorable conditions for
the promotion of women in social, business and professional fields,
and advocate for women's rights in different spheres of social and
civil development.
The USAID-funded Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness
(EDMC) Project seeks to improve Armenia's business environment and
support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This five-year project aims to increase employment and income in
Armenia by promoting growth in select value chains that have strong
export potential - high technologies,
pharmaceuticals/biotechnologies, food processing, and hospitality.
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