TEPAV/SAK: "Turkey's growth shall be considered as the resultant of regional growth strategies."

MANİSA- TEPAV Director Prof. Dr. Güven Sak maintained that Turkey needs a growth strategy that utilizes the regional potential of Turkey to a higher extent, and said “Turkey’s growth shall be considered as the resultant of regional growth strategies.”

Manisa 2023 strategy development studies were launched on December 18, 2009 with Manisa 2023 Platform Initiative Group meeting. After the closed meeting of the Group formed by Manisa Governorship, Manisa Provincial Council, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Manisa and Celal Bayar University, a press meeting informing about the Manisa 2023 process was held.

TEPAV Director Sak, counsel to the program, put emphasis on local development in his presentation. Underlining that the habit of thinking locally will not be built automatically but will require specific efforts, Sak stated “Habit of thinking locally serves for the whole.”

Sak pointed out that Manisa possesses important values and noted that the province hosts production facilities of large domestic and foreign enterprises; has fertile land and a variety of agricultural products; enjoys logistic opportunities stemming from its proximity to Izmir; and owns underground and ground resources. Sak maintained that Manisa failed to turn these values into prosperity.

Emphasizing the need for the sharing of the preferences on economic and social development by all stakeholder actors in the province; for action based on common mind; and for an integrated framework; Sak said: “We have a long way to go. Active participation is needed in the processes of problem description, design, implementation, monitoring, and assessment. A governance mechanism shall be designed to ensure and motivate active participation at all levels and particularly at the stage of project and action monitoring and assessment. Communication policies shall be developed and public relations shall be kept active.”

“Manisa 2023 Vision Search Conference” was held on December 19-20, 2009 as the first pillar of participated planning events to be carried out in the context of Manisa 2023 studies. Participants from public and private sector as well as from non-governmental organizations in Manisa conducted research activities under 9 group categories. Groups focusing on issues of “Urbanization-management”, “socio-cultural development”, “industry-commerce-energy”, “tourism-history”, “health”, “education-university”, “environment-water”, “water-agriculture” and “vision” discussed about the problems of the province under these titles, solutions as well as the applicable projects.

Districts are the next...

In the context of Manisa 2023 efforts, final report of the Search Conference will soon be prepared and results will be shared by residents of Manisa province.

In January, District Search Conference will be held with the focus on districts of Manisa.

In the meanwhile, Manisa 2023 Platform will gather to assess the project ideas and open these to the opinion of residents.