Musaid president Nail Olpak delivers a speech during the opening of the “2nd High-Tech Port by Musaid Qatar” at the QNCC yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed
By Peter Alagos/Business Reporter
The “2nd High-Tech Port by Musaid Qatar,” which saw its inaugural staging at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) yesterday serves as a “big push” for defence trade between Qatar and Turkey, Musaid president Nail Olpak said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Olpak emphasised that Qatar was the first country to host the event outside Turkey. “Qatar and Turkey have excellent economic and diplomatic relations, which is why we have started with Qatar,” he noted.
However, he also stressed the need for more Qatar exports to Turkey in the defence industry “to balance trade surplus,” which, according to Olpak, “is in Turkey’s favour.”
“But we must balance it (trade surplus) by going together, and if the trade surplus continues to be in Turkey’s favour then we only see Qatar as a market. But since we consider Qatar as a partner, somehow it could be balanced,” he explained.
Citing shares of the Qatar Armed Forces Industry Committee (AFIC) in commercial and military vehicle manufacturer, BMC, Olpak said: “That means Turkey is not treating Qatar as a ‘good market’ because we consider it as a friendly country and an ally where we could develop technologies together.”
“If we are only here to sell, I agree that Qatar is an important market for defence products. However, if the focus is on selling, then our relationship is only valid for today but what about tomorrow? If we are targeting tomorrow, we must speak about a partnership that both countries could develop together,” Olpak further said.
He also underscored the need for joint exercises and sharing of technologies between Turkey and Qatar. However, Olpak was quick to say that “There should be sharing of these technologies but only with other partner countries like Qatar.”
Olpak also cited the need to increase research and development (R&D) in defence technology, especially among Permanent Committee of Social and Economic Co-operation (Comsec) countries.
Comsec is a committee of the Organisation of the Islamic Co-operation (OIC), composed of 57 member states. Expenditure in R&D among Comsec countries is only 2.4% compared to the 30.6% allotted by the US and 22.6% by the European Union, according to Olpak.
“These 57 OIC member states only make up 2.4% of R&D across the world, 1.6% of patent, and 6% of scientific publications, and these low levels are not acceptable…when we consider these figures, we see that there is absolutely an inevitable need for Islamic states to reach higher numbers as well,” Olpak said.
