42 August 2011
Turkey: with maturity
comes opportunity
With all lenses focused on the major emerging countries of China and
India when it comes to economic growth, Turkey is often neglected.
Regarded by many Europeans principally as a history-rich Mediterranean
holiday destination, the country is also making huge social, political and
economic strides, benefiting from a young population and its role as a
bridge between religions and cultures.
Against the backdrop of global economic turmoil, the inheritors of the Ottoman
Empire are well-advanced in building a new
capitalist future. While neighbouring Greece is
being kept alive by wry-faced fellow EU mem-
bers, Turkey’s economy grew faster than any
other country last year with the exception of
India and China.
These days, Turkey’s construction firms operate
throughout the Middle East and North Africa,
Turkish Airlines was recently voted the world’s
best, and the country’s television station has a
worldwide following. In the surrounding
region, Turkey is widely respected and the lead-
ership role of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan
has attracted widespread admiration. From the
global perspective, the country has become a
key actor at NATO and G20 levels.
These signs of progress are clearly appreciated
by the Turks themselves. The day after the REW
Istanbul exhibition closed its doors in June this
year, the country’s people went to the polls and
rewarded Mr Erdogan and his AK Party with an
astonishing victory in which they claimed over
50% of the vote and thus received the go-ahead
for further economic and political reform.
Growing appeal
Turkey’s efforts to bring itself into line with
Western European waste management stand-
ards were reflected at the four-day REW Istan-
bul exhibition where global recycling technol-
ogy suppliers met with visitors drawn largely
from Turkey and the surrounding region. Now
in its seventh year, the appeal of the REW Istan-
bul event is continuing to grow: some 307
exhibitors and 10.472 visitors from 34 were
welcomed to the Tüyap Exhibition Centre –
numbers which represent increases of more
than 50% when compared with last year.
Recently, Turkish recycling associations joined
forces to form the AKAT partnership – a unique
‘umbrella’ body which teams associations
involved in the accumulator, battery, waste oil,
plastics, e-waste and traditional paper and met-
als sectors. nci Kavu tu, the ever-enthusiastic
Secretary General of Turkish battery collection
collective TAP, explains the benefit thus: ‘We
can have now a great platform to share our
experiences. But we only work together in areas
where we are not competing. It all happens in
R E W I S T A N B U L E X H I B I T I O N
By Gert van der Have
p042_REW Turkije.indd 42 09-08-11 16:46
