GITEX Ai Türkiye, hosted by the Presidential Investment and Finance Office and organized in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Technology, is held at Istanbul Expo Center.
In his speech here, Presidential Investment and Finance Office President Dağlıoğlu said that Türkiye is the intersection point of the world.
Dağlıoğlu emphasized that Türkiye has become a regional center thanks to its location and geographical advantage, access to the talent pool, fund and capital assets and market access opportunities through the country.
Referring to the developments in recent years, Dağlıoğlu said, “Turkey has come to the fore as a startup center in the region. The issue is not only Turkish companies establishing business in Türkiye, but also companies in the region coming here. By region, I mean Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asian countries, North African countries and the Middle East in general. Therefore, in this hall, you can see that you can reach many startups operating within this framework.” he said.
“TURKEY IS THE COUNTRY WITH THE MOST DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRY IN THE REGION”
Dağlıoğlu pointed out the recent comprehensive incentive packages in Türkiye and reminded that until 20 years ago, Türkiye was seen only as a bridge between Asia and Europe.
Noting that they think this is no longer an accurate definition, Dağlıoğlu said, “Turkey is a center for the region, it is not just a bridge. Because you cannot do anything on the bridge, you only pass over it. However, this is a real center. You can see that it is a production center, an R&D center, a logistics center, especially for multinational companies. Many global companies use Türkiye to manage their activities in the region.” he said.
Dağlıoğlu stated that artificial intelligence adaptation has a much greater meaning in such a revolutionary period on a global scale, and stated that Türkiye is the country that has diversified its industry the most in its region.
Stating that he heard from many people who visited Türkiye that Türkiye is the most industrialized country in the geography stretching from Germany to China, Dağlıoğlu said, “If you visualize the world map, you will appreciate that this is a tremendous competitive advantage. These industrial branches are surrounded by strong service sectors such as finance, information and communication technologies, software and tourism-accommodation. In addition, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we have made serious investments in the infrastructure and superstructure of this country.” he said.
Ahmet Burak Dağlıoğlu emphasized that Türkiye has been a competitive economy for the last 20 years and stated that, as a country, they are extremely determined to adopt artificial intelligence and maintain their competitiveness in the coming years.
Dağlıoğlu stated that Türkiye is currently a regional center, but this is not enough for them and their goal is to become a global economic power center in the coming decades.
Noting that the recently announced incentives were actually prepared with a vision that aims to transform Türkiye from a regional center to a global economic power center, Dağlıoğlu continued as follows:
“The corporate tax rate on service exports will be 0 percent, and this is not only limited to areas such as software, but covers all kinds of service activities. Another important incentive is valid for multinational structures. If multinational technology companies establish their global business centers or joint service units in Istanbul, that is, in Türkiye, they will be exempt from corporate tax. In addition, certain income tax exemptions will be provided. There is another incentive that has recently been put into effect, especially for private equity funds, family companies and high-income individuals, if you bring your assets to Türkiye. “You will be able to benefit from the ‘non-dom’ program, your foreign earnings will be tax-free for 20 years and inheritance tax will be applied at only 1 percent.”
Dağlıoğlu stated that Türkiye should first be remembered as a resilient and fast-growing economy and said, “Secondly, it is a country with a rich talent pool. Thirdly, we are committed to reforms, we are determined to preserve Türkiye’s competitiveness, and you will see the Turkish state on the side of all investors. The last basic message is that this is a country that is definitely at the intersection of continents.” he said.
