Time for win-win in trade for Turkey, Portugal


Date posted: February 4, 2013

ERGIN HAVA, İSTANBUL

Amid global economic volatilities, Turkish and Portuguese companies must begin establishing partnerships in fast-growing markets in which each has wide experience before they lose more time missing opportunities in this area, a Portuguese business union head has told Today’s Zaman.

Francisco Mantero, the vice president of the board for the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries’ (CPLP) Business Confederation, met with officials from the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) in İstanbul last week to discuss how companies from Turkey and Portugal could benefit from each other’s business experience and their traditional markets.

Also the head of the Portuguese Association for Economic Development and Cooperation (ELO), Mantero says they expect to offer advice to Turkish firms seeking to invest in Portuguese-speaking countries — namely, Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and East Timor — while also receiving support from Turkish officials to help Portuguese firms branch out into Central Asian markets or Turkic republics.

“We know that Turkey looks to boost its presence particularly in African markets while Portuguese firms are keen to diversify their exports. There are vast opportunities that each country can help the other benefit in this regard,” he explained. Mantero said different firms, including German and Nordic firms, for instance, looked to share their know-how with Portugal when entering CPLP markets and their respective economic communities. Mantero said that infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy and water distribution are the key areas of investment in CPLP member states.

Noting that there are no Turkish-owned businesses established in Portugal, he said: “We would like to first break the ice, the psychological barrier here. Turkish firms should realize the importance of Portugal-based firms in CPLP countries and benefit from their experience.” “Africa has a critical place here and an International Monetary Fund [IMF] report shows seven of the 10 fastest growing economies in the next five years will be in Africa. Chinese, American, Japanese and Indian firms are becoming influential in Africa and Portuguese and Turkish firms can compete with these giants through joint ventures,” Mantero argued.

“On the other hand, 80 percent of Portuguese exports are sent to Europe and we look forward to diversifying our export markets. Turkey can help by guiding us in markets such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan,” he added.

Turkey has increased its mutual trade with Africa fivefold in a decade to nearly $30 billion in 2012 and aspires to boost this figure to $50 billion by 2015.

Source: Today’s Zaman 4 February 2013

Tags: | |


Related News

President Museveni supports Turkey’s reaching out to Africa

29 April 2012 / SİNEM CENGİZ, ANKARA Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised Turkey’s flourishing African policy and its recently keen interest in African countries, pointing out its positive implications on developing relations between Turkey and the continent. “Turkey was a great power during the Ottoman Empire, which declined after World War I. Although […]

A major scandal by the Mukhabarat state

The voice recordings of four phone calls made to Fethullah Gülen were posted on the Internet at midnight on Monday. As you know, Gülen lives in the US. Those who phoned him are some executives from institutions established and run by the people who are inspired by the Hizmet movement in Turkey. The calls do not have any incriminating content. Rather, one of these unlawfully wiretapped recordings exposes how the Hizmet movement was targeted in a conspiracy by circles close to the government.

Tension at home hits Turkey’s brand overseas

ESİDEF President Mustafa Özkara said: “Top government officials, who during the Turkish Olympiads only six months ago called the Hizmet movement the ‘peace movement of the century,’ now define the same movement as a ‘parallel structure,’ a ‘gang,’ a ‘criminal organization’ and even Hashashins.

Turkey Regulator Demands Bank Asya Information Before Sukuks (1)

Turkey’s Capital Markets Board has asked to be informed of future issues, Cengiz Onder, head of investor relations at Bank Asya, said in a phone interview today from Istanbul. An official at the board, asking not to be named under government policy, said it’s seeking further documentation from Bank Asya before sales can resume, without giving further comment.

TUSKON cautions gov’t to make careful decisions on Syria issue

ERCAN BAYSAL, ANKARA Underlining his group’s belief that the government is surely taking the necessary steps concerning tension at the Syrian border, Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) President Rızanur Meral has asked the government to be extremely cautious in its approach to the issue. Responding to questions from reporters regarding the issue during […]

Bank Asya says raising capital, set for growth

“Bank Asya expects to raise its total capital by TL 300 million to TL 1.2 billion. … We sold an 18 percent stake in the retail chain A101 as part of this plan,” the bank said. Bank Asya said its capital adequacy ratio is 14.8 percent — well above the conventionally accepted minimum level of 12 percent — and that it expects to enjoy further growth in 2014. The bank said it expects the capital adequacy ratio to reach 17 percent, making it one of the five strongest (in capital) banks in Turkey. Previously, the bank held 21.84 percent of the shares in A101.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Laotian minister: I feel lucky my son studies at Turkish school

Karınca Yuvası (Ant Nest) from Turkish designers to Bangladeshi orphans

Ten thoughts on the [Erdogan] way of trolling

Nigeria Turkish College to Host Language, Culture Festival

GYV awards peace projects in İstanbul ceremony

11th Turkish Olympiad opens with grand ceremony in Ankara

Turkey’s Intelligentsia Kneels to Erdogan

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News