Third Meeting of the Istanbul Forum Held Turkish, Afghan and Pakistani businesspeople assembled for the third time in Istanbul.

ISTANBUL – The third meeting of the Istanbul Forum that brings together the business organizations of Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan was held in Istanbul on December 4, 2008. The declaration announced at the end of the meeting decided to launch a tripartite initiative focusing on the development of industrial activities in the region.

Istanbul Forum assembles with the participation of representatives of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Afghanistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). Speaking at the meeting, Chair of TOBB Board of Directors and Chairman of EBSO Tamer Taşkın said that Turkey’s contribution to the peace-building process via concrete business projects was critical.

Informing the participants of the framework of the activities planned at the region, TEPAV Director Güven Sak stated that with the start of the integrated manufacturing zone initiative, opportunities were created particularly in the food, carpet and furniture value chains. He maintained that an integrated manufacturing zone that will involve different segments of these value chains would both contribute to economic development in Afghanistan and Pakistan and offer important opportunities to Turkish businessmen.

Integrated manufacturing zone concept stands to zones that cover main production inputs and chief supporting activities such as manufacturing, design and logistics, as well as final product manufacturing process.

It is announced that TOBB-BİS Industrial Zones Development Inc. which works to establish and operate an industrial zone in between Palestine and Israel will take action to identify investment opportunities over the region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The first and the second meetings of the Istanbul Forum had been held on October 26, 2007 and January 28, 2008.