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Erdoğan: No Turkish participation in this year's World Economic Forum in Davos
Photo: Marton Monus / dpa
Turkey will apparently not participate in the World Economic Forum, which is taking place in Davos this week, as reported by Bloomberg. According to the report, Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek had wanted to take part in the annual meeting of politicians and business leaders – but was prevented from doing so by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The reason for this is apparently the attitude of the WEF organizer Klaus Schwab with regard to the Gaza war. The founder and chairman of the Davos Forum had condemned Hamas' attack on Israel as a terrorist attack, apparently angering the Turkish president. Erdoğan himself had repeatedly criticized Israel's conduct of the war.
Erdoğan's decision to withdraw his top officials from the summit complicates Turkey's efforts to reconnect with global investors.
Şimşek was also absent from the investor meeting
Şimşek's absence in Davos is not the first last-minute absence: last week, the finance minister was due to appear at a meeting with investors organized by the central bank in New York. Instead, he only participated virtually.
Erdoğan's and Şimşek's offices declined to comment.
Eru