Held for the 14th time this year, the International Economic Summit 2025 (UEZ 2025), hosted by Capital and Ekonomist magazines, brought together prominent political figures, business leaders, and academics from around the world in Sakarya, Türkiye. Under the theme "Changing Global Facts and the Future 5.0," the summit opened with a keynote speech by Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, who emphasized that despite global challenges, the current landscape offers Türkiye significant opportunities for transformation and growth.
Investment and Finance Office President A. Burak Dağlıoğlu participated in a high-level panel titled "New Era in EU and Germany Relations: Why Türkiye?", alongside Germany's 10th President and President of the German-Turkish Business Council Christian Wulff; Sabancı Holding CEO Cenk Alper; DEİK Türkiye-Germany Business Council Chairperson Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ; and Koç Holding CEO Levent Çakıroğlu.
In his remarks, Dağlıoğlu highlighted Türkiye's transformation over the last 22 years under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, noting the country's emergence as both a regional and global powerhouse. He pointed out that Türkiye has made significant infrastructure and superstructure investments in areas such as logistics, energy, healthcare, education, and digital transformation—many of which have been made possible through public-private partnership models.
Dağlıoğlu revealed that nearly 70 percent of the USD 270 billion in FDI Türkiye has received since 2003 has come from Europe. He emphasized the importance of Türkiye's young and skilled workforce, stating that with a median age just over 33, Türkiye remains one of the most dynamic countries in its region. “We are one of the most educated countries in our region, and this has helped build strong industrial ecosystems," he said.
Dağlıoğlu further noted that there is a growing consensus that Türkiye boasts one of the most diversified and robust industrial infrastructures in the region, extending from Germany to China. “From just USD 30 billion in exports 22 years ago, Türkiye now exports over USD 260 billion. Our GDP has grown from approximately USD 200 billion to over USD 1.3 trillion."
He also highlighted Türkiye's leading role in attracting investment in agriculture and food over the past decade, within its competitive geographic location. “Climate FDI is a critical factor in attracting investment from Europe, while the technology sector is becoming increasingly central. Türkiye is drawing R&D investments, innovation center projects, and a growing number of high-tech initiatives," he explained.
The summit served as a dynamic platform for shaping the global dialogue on Türkiye's investment future, technological potential, and its positioning as the nexus of the world.