Speech by Ambassador Dr. János Hóvári,
Executive Director of the Representation Office of the Turkic Council in Hungary, in the Roundtable Meeting organized by HCCI, HEPA and TCCI
-23 September 2021-
Budapest, Hungary
His Excellency Secretary Vargha,
His Excellency Secretary General,
His Excellency Hisarcıklıoğlu,
Honorable delegations,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to express my gratitude to the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hungarian Export Promotion Agency, Turkic Council Secretariat and Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the organization of this timely event.
This business meeting is held in a time when significant number of restrictions are still in place due to the ongoing global pandemic. The hard work and resilience of the parties involved to organize such a high profile event in these challenging times are something to be admired of which is also a testament to the strong ties between our countries.
Hungary has always felt close at heart with the Turkic World. This is a fact that stems from our history of origin in that we can connect readily to the Turkic peoples through kinship and linguistic ties as well as our common historic heritage which can be observed in the writings of prominent scholars.
Seeking close engagement with the Turkic World can also be attributed to the “Eastern Opening” which has been the guiding principle of Hungary’s foreign policy for more than a decade. The labor of hard work and endeavor came into fruition when the Representation Office of the Turkic Council in Hungary was established in 2019.
The Representation Office is tasked with several key objectives: facilitating cooperation between the Turkic Council and institutions of Europe such as the European Union and Visegrád Group; reviving and promoting the Hungarian and Turkic heritage; and exploring new ways to increase economic interplay between the Member and Observer States of the Turkic Council.
Economic cooperation constitutes the backbone of collaboration within the Turkic Council. The Turkic Council Member States with their total GDP around 2 billion USD and 180 million people, as well as their geographical centrality offer a wide range of opportunities for boosting intra-regional economic cooperation and contributing to the global economic development.
Turkic Council has been experiencing the most intensive and fruitful period of its history for the last 3 years. We welcome the strengthening of the Hungarian-Turkic relations in recent years in economic areas. Since the beginning of our cooperation in 2009, in eleven years, Hungarian exports to the member states of the Turkic Council has increased by 77 percent.
Meanwhile, trade flow has doubled. In 2021 Hungarian exports to the Turkic Speaking States have increased by 44 percent. If we take into account imports from Turkic countries to Hungary, since 2009 it has increased by 159 percent. Therefore, Hungary seeks to establish multifaceted and intensive relations with the countries of the region in all areas, especially with regard to economic and trade cooperation.
However certain challenges also lie ahead. A recent study of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations sheds light to the drought phenomena in countries that are also the Member States of the Turkic Council where it is a natural phenomenon and a routine condition.
According to the report, drought is exacerbated by climate change, growing anthropogenic pressures and it is threatening the countries’ water security. The direct economic cost of lost agricultural production was estimated at 800 million USD with the costs being high in all countries particularly that are situated in Central Asia. The drought also provided impetus for governments and international organizations to improve drought risk preparedness and management in the region.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Hungary is well-known for its long tradition, extensive knowledge in water-related issues and for its highly developed water infrastructure. Water has always been an outstanding priority in Hungarian bilateral and multilateral foreign relations. In view of its traditional interests and expertise in the field, Hungary wishes to continue its strong engagement in shaping international water policy.
Moreover, as a result of its outstanding exposure to diverse hydrological challenges, Hungary has historically developed significant expertise in water management. To safeguard its water resources, the country has established a stringent legal regime and a solid institutional framework in water and sanitation management.
Centuries of tradition in this area have been supported by a solid academic, educational and training background. Design and implementation of complex water engineering solutions for its international partners has always been and is a distinguished area of Hungary’s international cooperation.
Taking these into consideration, Hungary is fully committed to share the “know-how” and experience on water management and drought prevention with the Member States of the Turkic Council with a view to offer solutions in countering water scarcity.
This without doubt will also yield positive outcomes for Hungary and Member States of the Turkic Council in recognizing the importance of agro-industrial development for greater integration. Development and strengthening of institutional infrastructure, training of personnel in technology, management, entrepreneurship, research and development are crucial for fostering agro-industrial development. Joint mechanisms towards knowledge sharing in research, development, and technology adoption would help build up national capacities.
Therefore, it is of my utmost honor to announce that the Hungarian side has already started the necessary work for the establishment of a drought prevention institute which will closely work with the Representation Office and provide consultancy for the Member States of the Turkic Council on drought management and other issues areas.
I am confident that this institute will contribute to the development of a robust cooperation and inject a fresh driving force toward a long-standing partnership between Hungary and Turkic Council Member States for the years to come.
I am also confident that today’s meeting will be instrumental in strengthening business ties between the entrepreneurs of the Member and Observer States, as well as exploring business and investment opportunities in Hungary. It will also provide an invaluable venue for the participants to enhance their work, discover new avenues of business and develop joint initiatives.
Thank you for your attention.
