Turkish, US officials gather at Texas-Türkiye Business Forum in Houston

Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the Türkiye-U.S. Business Council (TAIK) organized the Texas-Türkiye Business Forum in Houston on Thursday, aiming to enhance trade and investment between the two regions.

According to a statement from DEIK, the forum was hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) in collaboration with the American Turkish Business Roundtable. The event brought together prominent figures, including Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, TAIK Chairman Murat Ozyegin, GHP President and CEO Steve Kean, and U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Thomas Hardy.

As part of the event, TAIK’s Texas Committee and its newly established counterpart, GHP, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster commercial and economic cooperation. The agreement, signed by Ozyegin and Kean, aims to promote trade relations between Texas and Türkiye while facilitating technical and industrial collaboration among businesses and economic institutions.

‘Steps taken today are crucial for energy security’

Addressing the forum, Minister Bayraktar highlighted the importance of energy cooperation between Türkiye and the United States, emphasizing the sector’s strategic potential. He noted that the expansion of LNG trade, renewable energy investments, and technology-driven projects are elevating bilateral collaboration.

“The steps taken today are crucial for energy security, sustainability, and mutual investment opportunities,” he stated, reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to accelerating its energy transition while strengthening global partnerships.

TAIK Chairman Ozyegin stressed the forum’s significance in deepening bilateral energy cooperation and fostering new investment opportunities. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to expanding trade relations with the U.S., citing efforts to establish state-level committees to support Turkish businesses in the American market.

Ozyegin highlighted that TAIK’s 124 members have invested over $3 billion in the U.S, creating jobs for more than 3,000 Americans.

Emphasizing Texas’ export potential for Türkiye, Ozyegin pointed out that while the state was Türkiye’s largest U.S. export destination until 2023, it now ranks second, with bilateral trade steadily increasing.

“Texas has become an attractive destination for Turkish companies,” he said, noting that key exports include cement and iron-steel products.

He added that Türkiye’s total investments in Texas have reached $1.3 billion, with imports from the state amounting to $3.2 billion and exports standing at $2 billion in 2024.

Following the speeches, the forum featured an “Energy” panel, moderated by Jeffrey Blair, with participation from Sabanci Climate Technologies CEO Tolga Kaan Dogancioglu, NOV Energy Chairman Gavin Macmillian, and Jones Group International Co-Founder Rich Outzen.

Over 100 representatives from Turkish and American companies attended the session, discussing energy transformation, renewable energy sources, and potential partnerships between the two countries.

Following the forum, TAIK, ATBR, and GHP organized the Texas-Türkiye Roundtable Meeting, which was attended by Minister Bayraktar and 20 leading energy companies in Texas. The meeting facilitated discussions on existing and potential energy collaborations, investment opportunities, and future projects.