Address by the President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov at the ceremonial opening of the International Business Forum in Istanbul, organized by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey and the TOBB University of Economy and Technology:

Distinguished participants,
At the outset, allow me to express my pleasure of being able to greet all of you present at this important jubilee.

Today I am here not only because of the Doctor Honoris Causa I received in 2009 at the TOBB University. I am also here because of the friendship between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Turkey. I am also here because of the role the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey – TOBB, has for the economic development of this country. The purpose of TOBB is to ensure unity and solidarity between chambers and commodity exchanges; to enhance development of the professions according to the needs; to promote honesty and confidence in the relations of members with one another and with the general public, and preserving professional discipline and ethics. With these goals, TOBB prepares its members to face the global trends.

Distinguished participants,
The world today is facing global economic, political and security risks and challenges. International economic cooperation is the only way to increase competitiveness at the global level. The kind of cooperation that contributes to boosting national economic competitiveness and the ability to compete within the complex economic conditions in the world.

In this reality, I am pleased that the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Turkey have traditionally good relations which have a positive influence on the development of economic cooperation between the two countries. Knowing the economic potential of the two states, I wish to underline my strong belief that the overall economic cooperation so far has not reached the desired level. For this purpose, the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Turkey are actively investing additional efforts in the area of economy, in order to fully exploit all available resources.

Distinguished guests,
The private sector and the enterprising spirit is the driving force in the globalized world. The kind of force that enables the economy to grow, contributes to lowering the unemployment rate and paves the way to progress. This makes sustainable economic growth and development more certain. This approach allows us to build and have confident leaders with a clear vision for the future, able to face competition. Of course, it takes courage to take on risks, and creativity and motivation to achieve success.

I strongly believe that today's meeting will help in opening new horizons and ides for cooperation, as well as in achieving visible results in the interest of development of business ides and private sector.

I wish the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey many achievements and anniversaries.

Thank you.