Turkish independent business association, MUSIAD, opens Tripoli branch

The Turkish Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen, MUSIAD, opened its Tripoli branch at a lavish ceremony yesterday.

The event was attended by the Minister of Economy and Trade, the head of the Audit Bureau, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and the Turkish ambassador to Libya, the Mayor of Tripoli Municipality, and a delegation of 50 Turkish business leaders and a group of Libyan business leaders.

Speaking at the ceremony, Libya’s Economy and Trade Minister Mohamed Hwej said “We must develop our wide trade volume with new projects and investments. Our priority is infrastructure and sustainable projects. The first of these is the airport project. In this sense, we need support.”

He said Libya is the gateway to Africa and that there are drafts of a map of the country’s infrastructure deficiencies.

“For example, in the south of the country, we need investment in solar panels and grain. With Turkey’s growing trade volume, we expect Libya to become a first-degree trade partner.”

MUSİAD Chairman Mahmut Asmalı expressed his hope to be able to sign cooperation agreements that will carry the economic relations between Turkey and Libya to a much higher level.

Murtaza Karanfil, President of the Turkish-Libyan Businessmen’s Association (TULIB), who is also the President of the Tripoli Branch of MUSIAD, added that opening the Libyan branch of MUSIAD is the strongest indication that they have moved into the action phase.

MUSIAD was established in Istanbul on 5 May 1990, by Turkish businessmen, and says it aims to contribute to the development of individuals, institutions and the state in the fields of technology, science, economy, politics and culture.

It says it has 89 contact points in Turkey, 255 contact points in 73 different countries, and more than 11,000 members.