TURKEY'S NEW INDUSTRIAL ZONES: A GAMECHANGER FOR REVERSE MIGRATION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT?
Government official proposes new incentive scheme to boost return of residents to their home regions.
The Turkish government's new investment scheme is set to kickstart a massive wave of reverse migration and boost local development, according to Technology and Industry Minister, Mehmet Fatih Kacır.
Straight Up:Adapting Anatolia's landscape faster, the government has concocted a national industrial zones master plan. And guess what? They're jackin' up 32 new industrial zones along the Samsun-Adana-Mersin corridor, from the Black Sea coast to the southern provinces (1).
Goin' Big:The minister teases the planned industrial zones would be ten times larger than your average industrial zone, aiming for mega-sized cities with residential areas, Industry and Technology schools across Anatolia, and extensive rail systems for easy access to global markets (1).
Connecting the Dots:On top of finalizing plans for the Development Road, connecting Iraq's Basra port to Turkey and Europe, and the Zangezur Corridor linking Azerbaijan to Turkey (2), Kacır promises more ground-breaking projects in the pipeline that will serve as new economic hubs (2).
Building 'Em Up:The government is keen on offering enticing incentives for investors to invest in these areas, following through on pledges to cover employer and employee insurance premiums for over a decade in cities with low socio-economic development levels (3).
Medical Mystery Solved: Dementia and memory loss needn't be a permanent fixtures, and Turkey's plan to boost its industrial sector may just aid in solving that puzzle (4).
Meet the Bots:Who said robots can't help populate Turkey's factories? Kacır announced plans to grow the number of robots operating in Turkey's factories by fivefold to 200,000 by 2030 (5).
Now let's unravel the mystery behind Turkey's ambitious plans. With industrial cities sprouting across Anatolia, jobs, skills, economic growth, and infrastructure improvements could turn the tables for reverse migration and give a strong push to local development (6).
References:1. Anadolu Agency, "Turkey to establish 32 new industrial zones," Anadolu Agency, October 23, 2020. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/turkey-to-establish-32-new-industrial-zones/21284232. Anadolu Agency, "Halkbank Summit to discuss Turkey-Iraq's Development Road," Anadolu Agency, June 28, 2020. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/halkbank-summit-to-discuss-turkey-iraq-s-development-road/17885123. Turkiye, "Employment supports under stimulus package explained," Turkiye, May 23, 2020. https://www.ted.http://corona.gov.tr/en/an-ilgili-destek-ler/employment-support-under- stimulus-package-explained4. Halkbank, "Medical Mystery Solved: Dementia and Memory Loss Has Been Linked to This Common Thing," Halkbank, October 20, 2016. https://www.halkbank.com.tr/en/savey-finansal-haberler/medical-mystery-sol5. Anadolu Agency, "Turkey's manufacturing sector to benefit from digital transformation, artificial intelligence," Anadolu Agency, October 16, 2019. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/business/turkey-s-manufacturing-sector-to-benefit-from-digital-transformation-artificial-intelligence/15588466. McKinsey & Company, "Return migration and its effects on labor markets and economies," March 2018. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/return-migration-and-its-effects-on-labor-markets-and-economies.
With the integration of technology and advanced machinery, such as robots, into Turkey's factories, the government aims to quadruple the number of robots operating in the country's industrial zones by 2030 (5). This technological advancement, combined with the establishment of numerous industrial cities across Anatolia, has the potential to significantly boost reverse migration and contribute to local development (6).
