Caglayan: Arab countries will be our main trade partners by 2023

Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Wednesday that his ministry aims at boosting economic ties with Arab countries, which are set to become Turkey’s main trade partners by 2023. Speaking at the first Arab-Turkish meeting of Ministers of Economy, Trade and Investment held in the southern province of Mersin, Caglayan underlined the size of Arab economies and their significant position in the world economy and pointed to the remarkable rise in Turkey’s trade with these economies from $5 billion in 2002 to $55 billion in 2012. "No other country group surpassed this rise in the trade volume. Our exports to Arab countries account for approximately a quarter of our total exports in 2012," Caglayan added. The meeting was attended by ministers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, Bahrain, Morocco, Djibouti, Tunisia, Palestine, Oman and Libya.