Saudi Arabia, Morocco urged to reverse actions against Turkish goods
Representatives of the Turkish business community have called on Saudi Arabia and Morocco to reverse their actions as firms are reportedly facing growing problems in conducting business with the two countries.
alls for boycott of Turkish goods in Saudi Arabia and
Morocco's decision to hike duties on dozens of Turkish products will negatively
affect both the countries as well, said Hasan Hüseyin Bayram, head of the
Turkish Home Textile Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TETSIAD).
In a statement Tuesday, Bayram said the unofficial boycott
decisions of the two countries, which have a common religious and historical
background with Turkey, will damage the mutual cooperation policies based on
yearslong historical ties and trade relations.
Riyadh has recently been enforcing an informal boycott of
imports from Turkey according to reports.
Ties between the two countries have been at odds for some
years over various regional issues, including the murder of journalist Jamal
Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Calls for a boycott of the Turkish products from the Saudi
authorities is an example of double standards, said Inegöl Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (ITSO) President Yavuz Uğurdağ.
"It will cause harm to both countries," Uğurdağ
said in a statement.
Late last week, Saudi Prince Abdurrahman Bin Musa'ad Al-Saud
called for a boycott of Turkish imports until "Ankara reviews its policies
with the Kingdom."
Ajlan al-Ajlan, the head of Saudi Arabia's nongovernmental
Chambers of Commerce, recently called for a boycott of Turkish products in
response to what he called continued hostility from Ankara.
Turkish companies have also said they are facing new delays
in exporting textiles and clothing to Morocco. They have complained about
unusual requests for paperwork and delays of up to five times the norm clearing
customs in Morocco, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Turkey exported over $2.2 billion (TL 17 billion) in goods
to Morocco last year, of which textile products constituted $1 billion, said
Bayram.
"Tax rates imposed at 'zero' last year have been
gradually increased. Finally, we learned that work has been started to increase
this figure to 27%," he noted.
"If this practice continues, in addition to the
deterioration of friendship and trade relations between the two countries,
layoffs and therefore unemployment will begin with the withdrawal of Turkish
companies serving in the region," the TETSIAD chairman stressed.
"It would be in the interest of Saudi Arabia and
Morocco to retract these erroneous decisions as soon as possible."
Morocco's government, worried that a 2004 free trade deal
with Turkey has harmed its manufacturers and retailers, said last week that
talks that began with Ankara in January led to an amendment in August.
A Trade Ministry source said the amendment allows Morocco to
raise duties by up to 90% on 1,200 products, including textiles and clothing,
for up to five years.
Uludağ Textile Exporters Association (UTIB) Chairperson
Pınar Taşdelen Engin said these developments would have a negative impact on
bilateral relations.
This makes the situation difficult for Turkish companies
that export to the region and have investments, and if it continues, perhaps it
will lead to their withdrawal from the market, Engin said in a statement.
"It will be in Morocco's interest to step back from
this mistake as soon as possible. Besides bilateral relations, the move will
also damage the Moroccan economy and employment," she added. "I hope
that this issue will be resolved in favor of both countries."
Eight leading groups of Turkish businesspeople, including
the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), the Turkish Exporters' Assembly
(TIM) and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) on
Saturday urged Saudi Arabia to take concrete steps to resolve the problems.
They said they regret the discriminatory treatment that the
Turkish companies face in Saudi Arabia.
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