As OSSA, within the scope of our URGE projects of the Turkish Ministry of Trade, our delegation to the United Arab Emirates, supported by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), made its first stop at Yıldız Technical University Starcamp Campus between October 6-10, 2024.
The October 7th program began with opening speeches by Mr. Kanat KUTLUK, President of the Turkish Business Council in Dubai & Northern Emirates, Mr. İbrahim YARSAN, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OSTİM Defence and Aerospace Cluster (OSSA), and Mr. Onur SAYLAN, the Turkish Consul General in Dubai. During the program, Mr. Kanat KUTLUK, President of the Turkish Business Council in Dubai & Northern Emirates, provided information about business and investment opportunities in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
We would like to thank Mr. Onur SAYLAN, our Consul General, and our accompanying Trade Attaché and Security Attaché for their support.
Our October 8th program included a visit to Tawazun Industrial Park. After a presentation to our members about the operation of Tawazun Industrial Park, we visited the production facilities of HALCON, TII, Rockford, EPI, and CARACAL with our companies. During the visit, our companies had the opportunity to see the production capabilities of the visited companies firsthand.
This event was held on October 9, 2024, at the Tawazun Defense Hall with the participation of members of the Emirates Defense Companies Council (EDCC) and the OSTİM Defense and Aerospace Cluster Association (OSSA), and with the support of the UAE Ministry of Defence and the Tawazun Council. The opening ceremony was conducted by Mr. Shareef Al Hashimi, CEO of Tawazun Operations; Ms. Mona Ahmed Al Jaber, Chairperson of the EDCC Board of Directors; Mr. Bedr Al Shehhi, Director of the Defence Sector at the UAE Ministry of Defence; and Mr. İbrahim YARSAN, Chairperson of the OSSA Board of Directors. Also present at the opening were our Ambassador Mr. Tugay TUNÇER, our Military Attaché Colonel Gürsu AYTEKİN, and Mr. [Name missing]. High-level participants, including our Commercial Attaché Fundagül BACI, accompanied the event.
Within the scope of the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between EDCC and OSSA to strengthen ties and cooperation between the two countries. This agreement emphasizes organizing joint events, seminars, and meetings, paving the way for future collaborations. At this event, which was attended by 23 OSSA member companies, the current state of the Turkish defense industry and its importance in the region were conveyed to UAE companies. In her speech, EDCC Chairman Mona Ahmed Al Jaber emphasized the importance of UAE-Turkey relations, stating that we should take advantage of these opportunities to develop cooperation between the two countries in the defense and aerospace sectors. She added that the event provided an important platform for exchanging ideas and establishing partnerships.
OSSA Chairman İbrahim Yarsan, in his speech, emphasized the need to increase the share of domestic production in meeting the needs of the defense and aerospace sectors as determined by the Ministry of National Defense. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of OSSA members' ability to represent our country in foreign markets and to increase our competitiveness in the international market through cooperation-based projects.
The forum provided a significant platform for discussions on sectoral problems and opportunities, and consultations were held on what steps should be taken to increase partnerships between the two countries. Nearly 120 bilateral business meetings (B2B) were held between UAE and Turkish companies within the scope of the forum. This cooperation initiative represents the promise of both countries to establish and develop strong networks to advance their defense industries.
