Minister Yusuf Tekin attended the opening session of the 3rd Meeting of the Türkiye-Sri Lanka Joint Economic and Technical Cooperation Commission, held in Colombo, the capital city, alongside Sri Lanka's Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

 

Speaking at the event, Minister Tekin expressed his pleasure at being in Sri Lanka and noted that, following the previous meeting held online during the pandemic, he was pleased to convene in person this time and to have the opportunity to thoroughly assess all aspects of economic and technical cooperation between Türkiye and Sri Lanka. Minister Tekin remarked, "The global economy has been undergoing a multidimensional and complex transformation process in recent years. Economic instruments are evolving, and there is a rapid shift in the geopolitical balance of power worldwide."

 

Minister Tekin stated that global uncertainty has been accompanied by regional instability and increasing rigidity in trade policies, and continued his speech as follows:

"International conflicts that had been anticipated are becoming more apparent. Unforeseen conflicts have also started to emerge on the world stage. The war in Ukraine, the tragedy in Gaza... All of these political and commercial developments we have mentioned are also affecting the international arena. As the Republic of Türkiye, we prefer to structure all of our relations on the basis of mutual democracy, human rights, and peace. Today, in light of these realities, we are here to develop our relations with Sri Lanka."

 

Tekin pointed out that global supply chains are being reshaped in the current environment, noting that we are witnessing a period in which the multilateral trading system is being questioned and the fundamental pillars of the economic structure are being tested. He stated, "As Türkiye, we aim to develop relations with countries around the world from this perspective. In this context, we consider our relations with Sri Lanka to be of strategic importance."

 

Tekin stated, "Considering the strategic locations of our countries along global trade routes, we believe this presents significant opportunities to establish stronger economic and commercial ties. Our relations with Sri Lanka have shown a positive development trend in recent years within this framework. The mutual opening of embassies approximately fifteen years ago, the inauguration of our Trade Counselor's Office in Colombo last year, and the commencement of Turkish Airlines flights in 2023 have all positively influenced our relations. We are very pleased to see the increasing mutual interest and awareness between the public and business communities of both countries. Currently, our trade remains limited to specific products such as tea, rubber, textile goods, and wheat flour. Our bilateral cooperation requires further development across various sectors, including education, health, culture and tourism, industry, energy, agriculture, transportation, defense industry, disaster management, and the environment. The existing friendly relations and strong political will on both sides demonstrate that we will move beyond this framework toward a much more diverse and in-depth cooperation. From this perspective, we view Sri Lanka not only as a country with which we will develop trade relations but also as a strategic partner located at the crossroads of maritime routes, and we stand ready to contribute to its economic development efforts."

 

Minister Tekin emphasized that the upcoming 3rd Term Joint Economic and Technical Cooperation Commission Meeting presents a significant opportunity to transform this potential into concrete projects. He stated, "I believe that today we will make important decisions, particularly regarding the identification of new areas of cooperation, the diversification of investment opportunities, and closer cooperation between our private sectors. Furthermore, upon our return to Türkiye, we will share these decisions in detail with the relevant sectors and the public, and request their contributions to further develop our relations."

 

Minister Tekin noted that many cooperation proposals had been raised in previous meetings, stating, "Agreement has been reached on proposals for agreements, protocols, and memoranda of understanding aimed at establishing commercial and economic relations within an institutional framework." He added that agreements whose bureaucratic processes had not yet been completed would gain momentum as a result of today's meetings.

 

Tekin said, "I believe that as a result of today's meetings, these drafts will be reviewed again, prioritized, and implemented promptly. For example, we hope to initiate the process of a bilateral agreement on the promotion and protection of investments without significant delay, in light of Sri Lanka's new investment law. Similarly, I believe that the agreement on cooperation in the field of education and the memorandum of understanding in the field of agriculture can be signed and put into effect during today's negotiations."

 

Tekin, stating that Türkiye is one of the countries with the most advanced tourism and healthcare infrastructures in the world, continued his speech as follows:

 

"Our rapidly growing companies in fields such as software and financial technologies also broaden our opportunities for cooperation significantly. Including these sectors I mentioned, Türkiye currently exports services worth approximately 115 billion USD. We provide services worldwide in sectors such as health, tourism, and contracting. It is well known that Sri Lanka has a significant tourism potential. I believe that the experience of Turkish companies in developing the tourism sector will benefit Sri Lanka. Turkish Airlines flights to Colombo have established a strong bridge not only between people but also in trade and tourism relations. We also have great potential in health tourism. We can develop joint projects between service providers in Türkiye and Sri Lanka in this regard. Together, with high-quality, competitively priced treatment services, visa facilitation, and our technological infrastructure, we are an important global actor in this field. On the other hand, Turkish contracting companies have undertaken projects worldwide and particularly have the potential to achieve successful projects in Sri Lanka in hospital, housing, and tourist facility construction.

 

Maritime transportation and fisheries are also among the noteworthy areas for cooperation. As one of the leading shipbuilding hubs in Europe, Türkiye offers modern and cost-effective solutions for various types of maritime vessels, particularly coast guard boats. We can consider this capacity as a means to further enhance our bilateral relations in line with Sri Lanka's needs. Similarly, the defense industry in Türkiye is a rapidly developing sector. As a country that has developed its own fighter jet, Türkiye offers competitive products in many areas such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), armored vehicles, communication systems, and radar technologies on a worldwide scale. In this respect, the defense industry also stands out as a key sector with the potential to strengthen our bilateral cooperation."

 

Minister Tekin stated that relations can also be developed in the fields of education, culture, and development, noting that Türkiye currently offers higher education opportunities to approximately 300,000 international students from many countries around the world.

 

Minister Tekin highlighted that the Turkish Maarif Foundation currently holds a significant position by providing educational services in more than 50 countries. In this context, he stated that we are ready to accept students from Sri Lanka for higher education in Türkiye and added, "I would like to express that the Maarif Foundation is also ready to open an educational institution in Sri Lanka."

 

In his speech, Minister Yusuf Tekin also mentioned efforts to develop cooperation with Sri Lanka, saying, "We can share knowledge and experience in many areas, such as archaeology, land registry, urban planning, energy production and distribution, women's entrepreneurship, consumer rights, and cooperatives."

 

Minister Tekin stated that the protocol between the two countries will serve as a roadmap for enhancing relations and that he will be the dedicated follower of this roadmap in Türkiye. He added, "As Türkiye, I would like to reiterate that we are ready to establish stronger ties with our friendly and brotherly Sri Lanka in all fields."

 

Tekin concluded his remarks by stating that, finally, as Türkiye, we aim to support countries with which we have established or will establish relations to become strong economies within their regions, uphold solid guarantees for fundamental rights and freedoms, and maintain political stability. He expressed his belief that these meetings would serve as a catalyst for developing relations in all aspects and extended his gratitude to everyone who contributed.