Istanbul: Trkiye is emerging as a standout destination for foreign investors despite global geopolitical and trade challenges, according to Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, who heads the Investment Office of the Republic of Trkiye Presidency. On the sidelines of the UK-Trkiye-Islamic Finance Forum, organized by the UK Department for Business and Trade in cooperation with the Participation Banks Association of Trkiye, Daglioglu shared insights with Anadolu about Trkiye's growing reputation as a stable and solution-oriented player in a volatile region.
According to Anadolu Agency, Daglioglu emphasized that investors perceive Trkiye as a stable country in the region, offering peaceful solutions amidst surrounding instability. This perception positively differentiates Trkiye from its regional counterparts. The UK-Trkiye-Islamic Finance Forum, organized in collaboration with UK Export Finance, aims to enhance international cooperation in Islamic finance. Daglioglu highlighted Trkiye's robust participation finance sector, which is significantly above the global average, and expressed hope that such collaborations will eventually translate into medium and long-term investments.
Daglioglu also pointed to the strategic role of the Istanbul Financial Center (IFC) in positioning Trkiye as a global hub for Islamic finance. Trkiye's early-stage technology investments have experienced a significant surge, surpassing $1 billion annually post-pandemic-a sharp rise from the $100 million average before 2020. Over the last four years, approximately $5 billion has been invested in this field, attracting international brands to the Turkish market for the first time.
He noted active funding rounds in the fintech, deep tech, biotech, and life sciences sectors, which play a vital role in current foreign direct investment (FDI) figures. Addressing global trade tensions, Daglioglu acknowledged the impact of US tariffs but emphasized that Trkiye's trade policy position is seen positively by investors, particularly the 10% lower tariff limit applied to Trkiye.
Despite a global slowdown in foreign investment, Trkiye's annualized FDI over the past year has surpassed $12 billion. Daglioglu expressed optimism about reaching the $13-14 billion range by the end of the year, citing continued project activity and investor confidence as indicators of a strong year ahead, provided there are no major global disruptions.