Prime Minister Kalyoncu "When the solution comes, we will be standing in a quite attractive location for the international investors"

In the Road to Peace, Cyprus International Cooperation and Investment Summit, which was organized jointly under the TRNC Prime Ministry of the European Union and the International Diplomats Businessmen Club and Girne American University (GAU), was held Le Chateau Lambousa Hotel connected to Girne American University. Investors in different sectors, business people and academics from Germany, Poland, France, Egypt, China, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and Cyprus` political, social, economic names attended to the Summit.

The opening speeches of the Summit was made by; GAU Founding Rector and The Chancellor of the Board of Administrators Serhat Akpınar, Turkey International Diplomats Association Chairman Ferhat Bozçelik, President of the European Business Club Zbigniew Roche, GAU Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asim Vehbi, President of the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation Tarkan Kadıoğlu, Minister of Economy Birikim Özgür, Economy Industry and Trade Minister Sunat Atun and Prime Minister Ömer Kalyoncu.

Prime Minister Kalyoncu "When the solution comes, we will be standing in a quite attractive location for the international investors"

Prime Minister Ömer Kalyoncu stated that when the solution comes, the country would have a very special advantage whether in commercial and tourist activity due to geography or in terms of the operation of natural gas, oil fields and natural riches, and due to being the only European Union member country in the region.

Kalyoncu stated that; "We will be standing in a quite attractive location for the international investors."

488 incentive certificate, 5 billion 862 million worth investment, 31 thousand 856 employment in 2014

Kalyoncu, who expressed that Investment Incentives Law conducted by the Prime Ministry State Planning Organization (SPO) provides important support to domestic and foreign investors, stated that as of 2014 a total of 448 investment incentive certificates have been given, and when these investments are realized tax exemption will be provided to fixed capital investments in the amount of a total of 5 billion 862 million 570 thousand 641 TL. Kalyoncu expressed that 31 thousand 856 human resources employment would be ensured with the completion of this investment.

Following the opening speeches GAU Founding Rector and The Chancellor of the Board of Administrators Serhat Akpınar stated the followings;

I feel a great honor to welcome you on behalf of the Girne American University Global Science Family, to the "In the Road to Peace, Cyprus International Cooperation and Investment Summit". As the Girne American University it is a very big source of pride for us to host this summit, which is held with the cooperation of International Diplomats Association of Turkey and the European Business Club under the auspices of Mr. Prime Minister Ömer Kalyoncu.

Today here we host high state officials whether from Turkey or from TRNC or from our homeland and very precious domestic and foreign businessmen, investment partners from all over the world. I firmly believe that in the road to peace this summit will be the start of a lot of precious partnerships, new projects and breakthroughs.

Cyprus International Cooperation and Investment Summit will be a turning point in the creation of a strong and dynamic long-term investment in Northern Cyprus. The wing leaders in this room hold the key in their hands about the feeding the said dynamics, implementing it and giving inspiration.

I hope that Cyprus International Cooperation and Investment Summit will be a great opportunity not only for the regional context of Northern Cyprus, but for the whole of the island`s investment and development of the living space, while evaluating the sector plan and opportunities which will pave the way for  private sector investments. Business and political leaders, who adopts the globalism concept in a real sense, have a big role in relation to make the solution applicable to all citizens in the true sense. In this respect, today, not just the aftermath of the solution will be addressed but also collective action ways concerning the reaching to a solution will be tackled.

We are at a critical point for Cyprus and Cypriots. A critical moment: First time in years the political will and the required motive power is provided to solve the Cyprus problem. Positive news from the negotiations held under the auspices of the United Nations, are the promising sounds that comes from the new and bold Cyprus and the new order.

The world`s attention is focused on Europe`s last divided country, with the discovery of natural gas reserves in the island coasts. After this discovery, United States Vice President Joe Biden came to Cyprus and has become the ultimate government authority that came to our island for over 50 years. In the statement he made as soon as he came to the island, he stressed that this visit shows the importance given to the cooperation between the two countries by the United States.

The extraction of the natural gas has firstly coincided with the economic crisis in the south and then with the financial crisis in Greece. As a result, it is a known fact that Cyprus has faced with a considerable amount of financial difficulties concerning the export options. With the discovery of natural gas reserves, European Union has found a new hope concerning the reduction to the dependence on Russia`s gas reserves. And this would be most easily through Turkey.

Today we are here, also in our own home, to talk the creation of new opportunities. Now, it’s time to go back in time and welcome back the matters we lost due to the lack of opportunities. We all know that if a country is to compete in the global economy wheel, foreign investment will play a key role. But, for years, the idea of foreign investors for the island has been neglected. At this point, economic and political isolation are shown as an excuse for the silence mentioned. With this summit, today, we aim to put an end to many years of silence. With your permission I would like to say that performing an investment here is not a miracle or something that is impossible. Today, I am here with you, not just as the Chancellor of the Board of Girne American University but also as the Founding Rector. We set out with the vision to build a different university in the establishment of the Girne American University... A university that will; bring the world standards to our house and a university which will move with an awareness concerning the development of society... Our goal was to implement a university that move beyond the limits of this small island. At this point, I am honored to say that we went through important steps and we are taking big steps. GAU, which moves with the vision of three continents, one university, is a university that exceeded the limits and a university that has campuses in America, Britain, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Turkey. We have succeeded all these, establishment and execution process of a global university, together with our team in Kyrenia campus located just 15 minutes from here. While taking confident and steady steps towards our 50th Year, our new initiatives and undertakings are continuing by gaining momentum. We are continuing to create new vital areas in our university and our affiliates, while continuing to follow the consent process from YOK and the world`s leading accreditation bodies for numerous new academic programs, and always renew ourselves. Yet more recently, we have opened our new GAU American College building that is equipped with the latest technology and we gave our first franchise to Mersin by spreading our GAU American College Schools to Turkey. I hope that GAU success story will be a light to encourage and promote you, concerning the investments in our island.

Before I end my speech, I offer my sincerest thanks to all those people who contributed to our Summit, which took place just in time, and wish that this summit will be the first of many others that will be held in the future...

I am offering my everlasting thanks to all of you for being here with us and for sharing the moment with us.”

In the statement made on the subject, it was stressed that a book will be prepared on the upcoming days about the talks that held, decisions taken and about the results that emerged within the summit.