GRF Izmir Economic Congress 100th Anniversary Meeting
24 April 2023
Yaşar University hosted Izmir Economic Congress 100th Anniversary Meetings on 24 April 2023. Board Member of the World Economic History Association Prof. Şevket Pamuk, Member of the Academy of Sciences Prof. Zafer Toprak at Koç University, Associate Dr. Osman Cevdet Akçay and GRF Member Prof. Ufuk Akçiğit at the University of Chicago, met with GRF members and guests in panels titled "Economy in the Fractured Worlds of the 1920s" and "The New Economic Structure of the Fracture in the 2020s".
After the opening speeches of the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer, GRF Chairperson Zeynep Bodur Okyay, and Rector of Yaşar University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cemali Dinçer, the panels moderated by GRF President Ambassador (R) Selim Yenel and Member of the High Advisory Council of TÜSİAD and Chairman of Marsh McLennan Group Tayfun Bayazıt, discussed Turkey’s economic outlook and policies in the 1920s and 2020s in two separate panels with their dynamics.
It is underlined that Izmir Economic Congress laid the foundation for the rapid economic development of the Republic of Turkey, where analytical approach of the Republican cadres in economic management was highlighted. In particular, speakers stated that the difficulties experienced by the world economy in the 1930s opened a window of opportunity for countries such as Turkey in economic terms. Thus, the economic management of the period was able to maneuver the difficult times.
On the other hand, the speakers emphasized that today’s Turkish economy is not only facing difficulties in attracting external resources but also has a fundamental productivity problem. As a result of the high inefficiency in the Turkish economy, the speakers reminded the limitations in creating value-added products and innovation at the sectoral level. They stated that scientific methods and technical analyses could achieve effective economic decisions.
Following their speeches, the panelists answered the participants’ questions.