radesmen from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and North America visited the booths of 398 exhibitors from all industries. Visitors also attended country presentations put together by Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon and Ghana.

TUSKON expects a trade volume of $7 billion to be realized as part of the program that will continue until the weekend. Participating businesspeople will then be taken to several Anatolian provinces to meet with local entrepreneurs there as well as to enjoy cultural and touristic visits. Sixty-two provinces will host guests from around the world during the course of the visits to various parts of Anatolia.

Today's Zaman interviewed key players of the Latin American economy, the region with which Turkey has the least developed trade relations among others represented at the program.

Arturo Mendicuti Narro, president of the Mexico City Chamber of Commerce, the largest in the Latin America region with 40,000 members, said the most important dimension of TUSKON's program was that it prepared the groundwork for business connections on which the sides would directly sit and talk on concrete agreements given the atmosphere of trust guaranteed by the confederation.

"It is so apparent that Turkey will have a much better place in the world economy given the power of relationships established with other countries," he said, commending the event's contribution to the Turkish economy at large. He said TUSKON will also help Mexico expand the scope of countries it exports goods to. Currently, the US is Mexico's largest trade partner by far. He added that Mexican Economy Minister Gerardo Ruiz Mateos will also attend next year's Turkey-World Trade Bridge to learn about the confederation and business opportunities in Turkey and also how such a huge event could be organized because Mexico will host the 7th World Chambers Congress next year. "We learned much from the Turkish example," Narro said.

Turkey-Brazil Business Council President Elias Miguel Haddad said they target bringing trade between Turkey and Brazil to the desired level and that the TUSKON event is an invaluable opportunity for them. "Brazil and Turkey have very many similarities. Both are strategically located. Turkey is very close to all of Europe and Africa and, looking from that angle, it can be an important business partner for us. Brazil can also be the gate for Turkey to South America. The people of our countries are very similar. The only difference is we have the [Rio] carnival," he noted.

Roberto Horacio Eguía Benavides, owner of textile producer Robles S.A. and president of the Association of Confectionary Industries of Paraguay (AICP), said the TUSKON event was so impressive not only because of its scope and number of participants but also for the organizing party's professionalism and hospitality. He told Today's Zaman that his company already had business relations with Turkey and buys fabrics worth $3 million each year but that he also intends to buy automatic garment processing machines for his factory in Paraguay this year.

"I also invite Turkish entrepreneurs to come to my country to take advantage of the opportunities there, once unknown to them," he said, commenting on how TUSKON also helped his country's economic prospects.

TUSKON events have also opened a new era in commercial relations, particularly in markets in Africa and the Middle East, and interest from these regions can be seen at this year's event as hundreds of ambitious entrepreneurs flock to İstanbul.

Emad Alnajar, the general manager of Iraq's largest office furniture distributor, the Vana Group, is one such keen entrepreneur. He told Today's Zaman that they are glad they are able to benefit from the opportunities that the TUSKON summit offers. Underlining that companies in Iraq are showing particular interest in the TUSKON summit, Alnajar said they have faith that further economic integration will foster relations between the two neighbors. Turkey is the most trusted import partner for Iraqi businesses, he continued, adding that the Arbil-based firm sought new partnerships with Turkish firms during the three-day event.

Halit Mithat from Al Kimme, an Iraqi pasta producing and distributing firm, said he expects to establish a production facility in Kirkuk with a Turkish partner. Mithat stated that his company imports pasta products worth $600,000 from the provinces of Gaziantep and Mersin each year. Al Matin Construction Company Manager Khalid R. Mayas is another Iraqi entrepreneur who is seeking partnerships at the TUSKON event. Mayas said he recently found a Turkish partner from Mersin to jointly provide medical equipment for some of the hospitals in Kirkuk and Baghdad.

Adnan Shariah, from the Jordan University of Science and Technology and the owner of solar power firm Jadara, said he is looking to partner with a Turkish solar cell manufacturing firm. "We have heard there are a few Turkish companies that do this business. We could acquire a franchise to distribute the solar cells that we bring from Turkey to the Jordanian market," he said. Noting that the Jordanian government is considering legislation for tax exemptions for renewable energy product imports, Shariah stated that completing such an incentive could boost partnerships in renewable energy with Turkey. Turkish firms could come and establish solar energy facilities in Jordan, said Shariah, a graduate of Konya's Selçuk University.

Concise Construction Company Ltd. CEO Michael Muasa Kilonzo from Kenya told Today's Zaman that the TUSKON event is an invaluable opportunity for them to promote the Kenyan market in Turkey and also to reach out to the surrounding economies via İstanbul. "The Kenyan government recently introduced an incentive that allows foreign investors to establish a facility in Kenya without paying taxes for the next 10 years. The companies will be able to export their products without having to pay duty via Kenya. We are seeking entrepreneurs who could come to Kenya to benefit from such incentives," he noted.

Another African investor, Mamadou Moustapha Faye, the general director of STC, a Senegalese agricultural machinery importing firm, says he used to buy products for his company from France and Spain at the beginning but later "discovered" the Turkish market, which offers relatively cheaper and higher quality products. "Also, Turkey has an advantage based on its geographical proximity when compared to these countries. We started to trade with Turkey four years ago, and each month we purchase agricultural machinery worth $20,000 from Turkey," he stated. Faye said he expected to find a Turkish partner for joint investment in Senegal.