We Will Win Together With Hope and By Collaboration

• 24.03.2020
• Archive

We were talking that we had left “the worst” behind us and entered into a year when we would get economically important gains three months before. We were calculating what kind of position we should take in the world economy where we ere expecting serious economical acceleration. We were like the passengers of a plane for which all flight permissions had been taken and were ready on the airfield to take off.

However, Coronavirus named as COVID-19 which has been firstly seen in China in the late-December of the previous year has broken the mold for us. The point where we are standing is way too different now. We are face to face with the fact that Coronavirus is a pandemic which will leave a mark in the human history. The science world cannot be sure at which point of this great disaster we are. Are we at the beginning? In the mid? Or at the end? This is a real trauma for the whole world. Considering the economical extent of the developments of which details we are addressed in a comprehensive way in the following pages, we quickly figured out that Coronavirus turned to be a tragedy that does not create any opportunity for anyone.

Just after the World Health Organization announced it as pandemic, world stock markets collapsed. Flights to world metropolitans varying from Germany, USA, France and Italy where the heart of the economy, trade, finance, entertainment and production beats have become denied. Streets, coffee houses have been empty. Streets have trailed off. There have not been any tourism activities left. Briefly, the fragility of the entire world economy was revealed against such a pandemic.

It is a fact that everything from our social life and production to education and logistics will be different for all of us now. Focusing on radical and sustainable solutions that prioritize the health of the society and living creatures as a whole, direct to come up with global solutions in collaboration instead of adopting approaches like “first me” against global problems instead of short-term, one-sided solutions such as monetary expansion, low interest rate, trade war, price war that only save the day but do not benefit anyone in the long term against the economical problems will gain value.

As Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we put forward proactive and result-oriented intense efforts within the scope of fight against the Coronavirus. Taking into consideration the opinions and solution suggestions of our more than 1000 members through the survey that we have conducted, we believe that it will be beneficial and right to take rapid steps in three significant points by saving time and without being lost in the details, which are:

1. There should be no blockage or congestion in financing, especially in cash flow.

2. Employment which has a very important social dimension should be attached extra importance and care. Everyone, especially the public, should mobilize so that the employees could be avoid from being victims under such circumstances.

3. Public receivables should be ceased for a certain period based on the course of the developments in a period of cash flow concern.

It is pleasing that political authority has been working in an intense collaboration with the stakeholders in terms of economy in this challenging period. Priorities should be determined swiftly and should start to be applied promptly. We will overcome this challenging period in collaboration all together. We should go on without turning our backs to the precautions, maintaining our hope and embracing the life

Erdal Bahçıvan
Istanbul Chamber of Industry
Chairman