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  • Export Development Canada opens permanent representation in Istanbul, Turkey

    Export Development Canada opens permanent representation in Istanbul, Turkey

    ISTANBUL, May 31, 2011 /CNW/ – Export Development Canada (EDC) today officially opened a permanent representation in Istanbul, Turkey, to further the growing trade between Canada and the Eastern Mediterranean region.

    “EDC will be looking to advance Canada’s expertise in sectors such as power generation, infrastructure and green technologies, including water treatment, as key areas of growth that match up well with the needs of the Eastern Mediterranean region,” said Benoit Daignault, Senior Vice-President, International Business Development, EDC, who is in Istanbul for the opening ceremonies.

    “EDC has seen a direct and immediate result in expanding Canadian supply and products in areas where it has representation, and we are confident that Canadian companies will bring great benefits to companies in Turkey, the Balkans and the Caucasus, whether they are looking for a supply chain partner or making an investment in Canada.”

    Two-way merchandise trade between Canada and the Eastern Mediterranean region totaled CAD 1.56 billion in 2010, having risen steadily from the 2006 level of CAD 709 million.

    In 2010, EDC provided financial solutions for 433 Canadian firms doing business in the region, facilitating more than CAD 1.3 billion of trade with Turkey in 2010 and close to CAD 2 billion in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

    Burak Aktas will be EDC’s new permanent representative for the region, based in Istanbul, Turkey, where he will lead EDC’s business development strategy. Countries supported by EDC’s new representation include: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey.

    “As the recovery struggles to take hold, there are many companies with creditworthy transactions and lucrative opportunities in the region, and with more than CAD 2 billion in direct Canadian investment into the region since 2000, there is a strong trend towards long-term commitments by Canadian companies to these markets,” Mr. Aktas said.

    Mr. Aktas has been working in the market since 2007 as a Regional Manager, supporting the region from EDC’s head office in Ottawa. He joined EDC in May 2001 as a Financial Services Manager on the Financial Institutions Team, responsible for a banking partner portfolio including Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, Société Générale, ICICI Bank Canada, State Bank of India, and National City Bank.

    Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Aktas worked at the Sabanci Group in Turkey as an export manager, responsible for Southeast Europe and Israel. He also worked at World Learning in Washington, D.C., as an Exchange Program Intern in the Financial Reporting Department and as a Financial Auditor, specialized in the oil and gas sector at Price Waterhouse Coopers.

    Mr. Aktas obtained an MBA (International Business) from the University of Ottawa and an Economics degree from the University of Istanbul.

    Istanbul joins Dusseldorf, Mumbai, New Delhi, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santiago, Lima, Panama, Mexico City, and Monterrey as a site of EDC representation.

    EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC’s knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 8,200 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining and a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis.

    For further information:

    Media contact:

    Phil Taylor

    Export Development Canada

    Blackberry: ptaylor@edc.ca

    Burak Aktas

    Blackberry: baktas@edc.ca

    via EXPORT DEVELOPMENT CANADA | Export Development Canada opens permanent representation in Istanbul, Turkey.

  • Canada designates two airlines to fly scheduled services to Guyana and Turkey

    Canada designates two airlines to fly scheduled services to Guyana and Turkey

    Dec 17, 2010 (AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION via COMTEX) —

    Canada’s transport minister announced today that two Canadian airlines have been designated to operate scheduled international air services between Canada and Guyana and Turkey.

    Enerjet will fly between Canada and Guyana, while Air Transat will fly between Canada and Turkey.

    These designations were made possible by Canada’s 2005 air transport agreement with Guyana and its 2009 agreement with Turkey.

    Under Canada’s Multiple Designation policy, all air carriers in the country may apply to the Minister of Transport for designation to operate scheduled international air services.

    Comments on this story may be sent to aii.feedback@m2.com

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    via Canada designates two airlines to fly scheduled services to Guyana and Turkey | TradingMarkets.com.

  • Government of Canada Opens New Consulate in Istanbul

    Government of Canada Opens New Consulate in Istanbul

    Offers Canadians trade, investment opportunities and enhanced consular services

    (No. 384 – December 7, 2010 – 4:45 p.m. ET) The Honourable Peter Van Loan, Minister of International Trade, today officially opened the Consulate of Canada in Istanbul, Turkey, during a three-day trade mission to the country. Minister Van Loan opened the new consulate on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

    “Canada and Turkey have long-standing diplomatic relations,” said Minister Cannon. “The opening of the new consulate in Turkey’s largest city underlines Canada’s priority of expanding bilateral ties with Turkey. Our government is committed to ensuring our network abroad has the right people in the right places to serve Canadians best.”

    The new consulate will offer the full range of consular services to help Canadians in need of assistance; however, immigration and visa services will continue to be offered only at the Embassy of Canada in Ankara.

    The trade section of the consulate will provide local business intelligence and expert advice to help Canadian companies take advantage of trade and investment opportunities in Turkey.

    “The Government of Canada continues to open new markets and create new opportunities to help Canadian businesses and workers,” said Minister Van Loan. “The establishment of a Canadian consulate in Istanbul will support Canadian companies eager to expand into Turkey’s dynamic market.”

    With one of the fastest economic growth rates in the world, expected to reach 6.8 percent in 2010, Turkey presents great potential for Canadian companies and investors.

    “Canada is the best place in the world for potentially job-creating investment from around the globe,” said Minister Van Loan. “Canada’s investment climate offers everything from low taxes and solid economic growth to the world’s soundest banking system and a high quality of life.”

    The official opening of the consulate was attended by business representatives, guests from the Istanbul diplomatic community, as well as local government representatives.

    For more information on relations between Canada and Turkey, please consult Embassy of Canada to Turkey.

    For additional details on Minister Van Loan’s visit, please consult Ministerial visit to Turkey and Greece.

    – 30 –

    For further information, media representatives may contact:

    Melissa Lantsman

    Director of Communications

    Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

    613-995-1851

    Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office

    Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

    613-995-1874

    Follow us on Twitter.

    Monika Bujalska

    Press Secretary

    Office of the Honourable Peter Van Loan

    Minister of International Trade

    613-992-9304

    monika.bujalska@international.gc.ca

    Trade Media Relations Office

    Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

    613-996-2000

  • Caglayan invites Canadian businessmen to invest in Turkey

    Caglayan invites Canadian businessmen to invest in Turkey

    Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan has invited Canadian businessmen to invest in Turkey.

    Tuesday, 07 December 2010 16:44

    caglayan1Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan has invited Canadian businessmen to invest in Turkey.

    Addressing the Turkish-Canada Business Forum in Istanbul on Tuesday, Caglayan said Turkey provided the most comprehensive incentive system for research and development.

    “Turkey will invest $110 billion in energy sector over the next ten years. Canadian nuclear energy firms are welcome to engage in talks for the construction of Turkey’s second nuclear energy plant,” said Caglayan.

    Caglayan said Turkey exported over 20,000 different items to 221 of the 224 customs zones.

    “The region we reside in is very significant. If Canadian companies want to take their place in this region, it goes through Turkey,” said Caglayan. He said Turkey was a major supply center at the heart of Caucausus, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, at a four-hour flight away from 56 countries, urging Candian Trade Minister Peter van Loan and Canadian businessmen to realise Turkey’s significance.

    Caglayan listed energy, environment, innovative technologies and green energy as possible areas of cooperation between the two countries.

    “The implementation of free market rules, unrestricted transfer of profit and capital, unrestricted foreign exchange transactions… with its logistics, human resources, 73 million population with an average of 28 years of age, easy access to neighbouring countries, free trade agreements with 17 countries. When you add these up, Turkey offers great advantages,” said Caglayan.

    He said Turkey had free trade agreements with majority of the European countries, adding that companies making investments to Turkey would seize all the advantages of Turkey.

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  • Turkey, Canada explore possibility of free trade deal

    Turkey, Canada explore possibility of free trade deal

    ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

    Turkish State Minister Zafer Çağlayan (C), Ömer Vardan of MÜSİAD (second from R), Mehmet Büyükekşi of the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (far right), Canadian Minister Peter van Loan (second from L) and Yılmaz Argüden, head of the Turkish-Canadian Business Forum, pose for the cameras during a press conference in Istanbul on Dec. 7, 2010.

    Turkish State Minister Zafer Çağlayan (C), Ömer Vardan of MÜSİAD (second from R), Mehmet Büyükekşi of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (far right), Canadian Minister Peter van Loan (second from L) and Yılmaz Argüden, head of the Turkish-Canadian Business Forum, pose for the cameras during a press conference in Istanbul on Dec. 7, 2010.

    Turkey and Canada are exploring the possibility of signing a free trade agreement, according to a top businessman who spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Tuesday.

    Speaking during a visit by a Canadian trade mission to Istanbul, Yılmaz Argüden, head of the Turkish-Canadian Business Forum, said Canada was preparing to sign a free trade agreement first with the European Union and then with Turkey.

    Canada also officially opened a consulate in Istanbul during the visit.

    The visit was jointly organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey, or DEİK, and the Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association, or MÜSİAD.

    “It is too early to say whether we should have a free trade deal or not,” said Peter van Loan, Canada’s minister of international trade. “We would like to consider this after a free trade agreement signed with EU,” he told the Daily News. Van Loan said Turkey, a strong economic performer with a dynamic market of 72 million people, has a “key place in the global economy.”

    Disappointing bilateral trade

    Noting that the bilateral trade is relatively low, Zafer Çağlayan, Turkey’s foreign trade minister, said Canada had a total trade volume of $800 billion in 2008 while Turkey had $300 billion of foreign trade in the same year. “Unfortunately, the volume between the two countries remained at only $1.2 billion,” Çağlayan said.

    “Last year, Canada’s total imports were $327 billion, while Turkey’s exports to Canada stood at $330 million,” said the minister, calling for stronger trade relations.

    Çağlayan also called for Canadian energy companies to invest in Turkey. “We were not able to reach an agreement with South Korea for Turkey’s second nuclear power plant. Canadian firms are welcome to bid on constructing the plant.”

    “Canada has great expertise in clean technologies and especially nuclear power plants,” said van Loan, noting that Canadian firms are interested in energy investments in Turkey. Canada accounts for 10 percent of the global nuclear energy market, while the country’s nuclear energy industry is valued at $6.6 billion annually, according to Atomic Energy of Canada.

    Canada’s Istanbul consulate was opened in the high-rise office tower of Tekfen, located in the Levent financial district. The consulate mainly aims to serve Canadian and Turkish businessmen but does not accept visa or immigration applications. The consulate will be led by Michael Ward.

    Çağlayan said a Turkish Trade Center and a Turkish Trade Consultancy would be opened in Toronto next year.

  • MacKay: Turkey has the ability to reach out to Tehran

    MacKay: Turkey has the ability to reach out to Tehran

    Situated in a challenging neighborhood, Turkey has a wealth of experience to bring to NATO as it has the ability to reach out to Tehran and speak to the Muslim world, said. Canadian National Defense Minister Peter MacKay, who hosted the participants of the Halifax International Security Forum.

    mackay“Turkey has very good credibility and connectivity to the West but also the ability to reach out to Tehran and speak to the Muslim world with clarity and perspective that we could gain from,” he told Today’s Zaman in an exclusive interview.

    Noting that he became good friends with Turkish President Abdullah Gül during their time as foreign ministers, MacKay said there is a “strength and kindred spirit” between Canada and Turkey. “We recognize that we can fight when we have to, but we also have a skill set when it comes to diplomacy that allows us to talk with reason, to talk about difficult issues in a way that brings people together collaboratively,” he said, and added that there is further potential for Canada and Turkey to work together in that regard.

    Regarding Iran, MacKay said Turkey’s voice is “very relevant” in the current discussion about Iran. As NATO leaders are soon going to meet in Lisbon to discuss the future of the organization and missile defense, there is debate over whether the organization will single out Iran as a threat, an idea that Turkey is opposed to.

    MacKay also said the missile defense system should be a NATO initiative rather than one by the US. “It’s a European missile defense, after all. NATO is a more appropriate venue to support it,” he said. The Canadian defense minister also mentioned that Turkey is influential among Muslim countries in the region and that those countries take their signals from the relationship that Turkey has with Israel. Therefore, he said, Turkey’s normalized relations with Israel would be important.

    08 November 2010, Monday

    YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN  HALIFAX

    ZAMAN