TSKB Visits the Earthquake-Stricken Region

TSKB senior management and an accompanying delegation paid a special visit to the earthquake-stricken region on 16-17 April. TSKB senior management met the chambers of industry and commerce in Iskenderun, Antakya, Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep to hear the needs of businesspeople and regional representatives. The senior management continues to expand its efforts focusing on permanent green recovery, quality and sustainable development since the immediate aftermath of the February 6 earthquakes in 2023.

In the aftermath of the earthquakes, TSKB (Industrial Development Bank of Türkiye) has used the funding agreements it previously secured for inclusive regional development and the reinstatement of investments as a leverage to support regional companies in their green transformation efforts. In addition, the Bank bolsters such funding support with social benefit projects focusing on multidimensional development and permanent recovery. Murat Bilgiç, TSKB CEO, and the senior management formed the delegation visiting the earthquake region. The bank officials heard and noted the needs of local people during the visit. The delegation visited the chambers of industry and commerce in Iskenderun, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Gaziantep and held meetings with businesspeople to observe the reconstruction and recovery efforts in the earthquake region and to touch base with the local business community. During the visits to regional chambers of industry and commerce, a presentation titled “An Overview of the Global and Turkish Economy” was delivered by Burcu Ünüvar, PhD, Chief Economist at TSKB, and Feridun Tur, PhD, Head of Economic Research at TSKB.

Murat Bilgiç, TSKB CEO, stated that they maintained contacts in the region for the establishment of sustainable, inclusive and disaster-resilient investments and shared information on their visits and activities. "We keep expanding the scope of our work each day to ensure that our earthquake-stricken provinces can attain multidimensional economic and social recovery and that the region can get back on its feet. Starting from the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, TSKB has been giving its all in the region and prioritizing efforts to identify and offer solutions to common needs as soon as possible. As part of the funding agreements we signed with international financial institutions to accelerate sustainable development efforts in the region, we have offered a total of USD 600 million for qualified and sustainable recovery in earthquake regions in the short and long term. In addition, we have placed the earthquake-stricken region at the heart of our socially beneficial projects, which we have been carrying out for long years. In all our economic research reports and studies, we focus on earthquakes, thoroughly studying the issue and improving our awareness. We aim to rebuild our cities hit by the earthquakes, this time more resiliently, and will continue to deliver projects to support investments that will contribute to sustainable production processes for the transformation of the region. Through all business units and operations, we will keep cooperating with our stakeholders to ensure the fastest development of the affected provinces and to strengthen the regional economy's resilience to disasters.”