Turkish and Japanese contractors come together for cooperation in Ukraine and Africa

Image: Turkish Contractors Association

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The 7th Turkey-Japan International Construction Cooperation Conference was held under the coordination of the Ministry of Trade and the organization of the Turkish Contractors Association (TCA) in order to develop cooperation between Turkish and Japanese contracting companies. During the conference, which was held in two separate sessions on the reconstruction of Ukraine and cooperation opportunities in African countries, bilateral meetings were also held between companies.

During the conference, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism of Japan to strengthen cooperation in the field of construction in 3rd countries.

The 7th Turkey-Japan International Construction Cooperation Conference was held, aiming to increase concrete cooperation in third countries with the synergy created by the local market knowledge and entrepreneurial skills of Turkish contractors and Japan's financing opportunities and technology. The conference was held in Istanbul under the coordination of the Ministry of Trade and the organization of the Turkish Contractors Association (TCA), with 22 Turkish and 29 Japanese companies participating in two different sessions on the reconstruction of Ukraine and cooperation opportunities in African countries. During the conference, Mustafa Tuzcu, Deputy Minister of Trade, and Amakawa Hirofumi, Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism of Japan, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in the field of construction in 3rd countries.

Mustafa Tuzcu, Deputy Minister of Trade; Amakawa Hirofumi, Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism of Japan; Başar Arıoğlu, Deputy President of the Turkish Contractors Association (TMB); and Kawata Hiroki, Chief Executive Officer of the Overseas Construction Association of Japan (OCAJI) made the opening speeches of the conference, which was held with the participation of public representatives and contracting company officials from both countries.

“We aim to develop all 3 countries through cooperation in Ukraine”

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu said: “Turkey has a historical success in the field of contracting with Japan. We have carried out successful joint projects with Japanese companies in Dubai, Qatar, Iraq, Basra and Turkmenistan. Although the countries and business areas are different, Turkey and Japan are willing and compatible to work together. We have big goals for the 100th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. We are currently negotiating the Economic Partnership Agreement. Japan has about 4 billion dollars of investment in our country and we are trying to add an investment section to the agreement to increase this amount. Turkey has shown to the world its competence in Africa and its ability to do business in risky geographies. Today, it has proven this once again by realizing projects in Ukraine during the war. Japan's technological advantage, financial power and quality and Turkey's experience should be combined in these geographies. Together, we aim to rebuild Ukraine and develop all three countries economically.”

'We want to do joint business by combining our strengths'

Mr. Amakawa Hirofumi, Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism of Japan, said: “This year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Japan. In recent years, the ties between the two countries have been strengthening with beautiful construction projects. The aim of the Japan-Turkey Construction Sector Conference is to cooperate with Japanese and Turkish companies to capitalize on each other's strengths and undertake more projects in third countries. In 2015, we signed a memorandum of understanding and today we are signing a new memorandum of understanding. We want to increase cooperation between Japan and Turkey. Japanese companies are experienced in natural disasters, construction and quality control. Turkish companies are experienced in Central Asia and Africa and strong in human resources. We want to combine these strengths and do joint work. Today, meetings will be held on joint projects to be carried out in Ukraine and Africa. These works will provide economic development for both countries.”

'Indonesia, Mongolia, Vietnam should be targeted'

TMB Deputy President Başar Arıoğlu said that Turkish and Japanese companies are well acquainted with each other and have experience in doing business together, and added: “To date, many large-scale infrastructure projects have been successfully realized both in Turkey and in third countries in cooperation with the companies of both countries. Considering the entrepreneurial skills and local market knowledge of Turkish contracting companies and Japan's financing facilities and technology, it is inevitable that the two countries' companies will create a synergy and undertake important projects almost anywhere in the world. In this context, with the aim of enhancing the existing cooperation between Turkey and Japan in third countries, today's Conference focuses on the reconstruction process of Ukraine, which offers significant cooperation opportunities for Turkish and Japanese companies, and African countries where various infrastructure projects are planned to be realized within the scope of development plans. I would like to take this opportunity to share my opinion that it would be useful to evaluate the potential in Asian and Far Eastern countries such as Indonesia, Mongolia and Vietnam in our Conference to be organized next year in line with our common goal of joining forces in a wider geography.”

'We have achieved great success with Turkish contractors'

Kawata Hiroki, Chief Executive Officer of the Overseas Construction Association of Japan (OCAJI), said: “This conference, which has been held six times in the past, shows how strong the relations between the two countries are. As OCAJI, we represent Japan abroad, and we have a very crowded community with both our contractors within our organization and our external members. We aim to strengthen our cooperation with Turkish contractors day by day. Our partnership has achieved great success in recent years and reached high turnover figures. These achievements give us a great advantage in our international cooperation. In particular, we have significant potential for the redevelopment of Ukraine and our cooperation in Africa.”