President of the Presidential Investment Office Daglioglu stated that in the coming years, sustainability principles will be a fundamental parameter in the decision-making mechanism of investors and said, “Turkiye is one of the countries ready for the sustainability race.”
The 8th World Investment Forum, organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to increase investments for climate action, clean energy, healthcare, food security and other development needs, has started in Abu Dhabi.
Held under the theme “Investing in Sustainable Development”, the forum brought together global chief executives (CEOs) and other investment stakeholders to tackle the key challenges posed by global crises, including the need to invest in food security, energy, healthcare, supply chain flexibility, infrastructure and productive capacity expansion in least developed countries.
The forum brought together more than 8 thousand participants, heads of state, government ministers, wealth fund managers, private sector executives, stock exchanges, media, academics, investment agreement negotiators and heads of international organizations in more than 130 events.
Held every two years to facilitate dialogue and action on the world’s existing and emerging investment-development issues, the forum is described as one of the world’s leading platforms to strengthen sustainable development and investment policies.
Considered the global meeting for investment partnership and policy-making, the World Investment Forum this year focuses on key investment challenges posed by multiple global crises and revitalizing investments in food security, supply chain resilience, transition to low-carbon energy, health systems, and productive capacity growth in the poorest countries.
“Turkiye is one of the countries ready for the sustainability race”
Presidential Investment Office President Burak Daglioglu, in his evaluation to the AA correspondent at the forum, said that the event is an annual meeting of all investment agencies in the world, organizations trying to attract investments to their own country and, in some cases, organizations that support investments abroad.
Noting that the future of investments, threats, challenges and, more importantly, opportunities will be discussed during the forum, Daglioglu said, “Of course, there is a concept on sustainability here. UNCTAD has been paying special attention to sustainability in recent years. We are also represented here with a delegation. Our friends will follow the programs.”
Speaking about the activities of the Presidential Investment Office and the importance they attach to the event, Daglioglu continued his words as follows:
“As the Presidential Investment Office, we are one of the first institutions among the investment agencies to evaluate the projects in their portfolio according to sustainability parameters. We share experience in this field. When we shared our international direct investments strategy publicly for the first time in 2021, we put sustainability as a main principle there. At this point, sustainability emerges as a main parameter in investment agencies meeting events around the world, organizing the main theme of the entire event. Sustainability principles will be a fundamental parameter in the decision-making mechanism of investors in the coming years. Turkiye is one of the countries ready for the sustainability race.”
Noting that Turkiye will continue to attract investments in the future, Daglioglu said, “We have very intense mutual relations and dialogues to attract investments from the UAE. If we look at the past performance, we have attracted an investment of nearly $5.5 billion in the last 20 years. Roughly 600 companies operate in Turkiye. In the last 2 years, the UAE is among the top 10 countries investing in Turkiye. The United Arab Emirates will continue to remain in the top rankings. Because it has an important portfolio, these are progressing slowly.”
“The value of the sustainable finance market is now over $6 trillion”
UNCTAD Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan also noted that in order to cope with global risks, perceptions must change, and in order to change perceptions, it is necessary to better understand the local context and clarify this context, and said that credit rating agencies should review their methodologies.
Grynspan explained that an effective policy framework, a clear investment implementation strategy and a long-term vision in a capable public sector are important components for a strategic and sustainable investment.
Stating that the financing that countries can use in an emergency is becoming more expensive day by day, Grynspan said, “As the debts of countries increase, development, expenditures and investments are disrupted. Thus, the gap widens and the needed and even available money does not flow where it should.”
Stating that the value of the sustainable finance market, which includes green bonds and the like, is currently over $6 trillion, Grynspan said, “Now we need to find a way to be friends throughout this forum. There is more than our wealth in this world. The issue is not a lack of resources, it is a matter of priorities. Time is running out.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz