GÜVEN SAK

China to operate new port in Haifa

It’s that time of the year again, when we look back and think about all that’s happened in the past 11 months. So here’s a question: What was the most significant strategic event of 2018?

December 07 2018

GÜVEN SAK

It’s time to make the G20 work for the Rest

The G20 Summit started in Buenos Aires, Argentina this week. The G7 represents the West (plus Japan), while the G20 could be thought of as G7 + 13, with the 13 being the representatives of “the Rest.” I remember the Turkish and Chinese Presidencies of the G20 in 2015 and 2016 very vividly. How hopeful we all were to make the G20 more inclusive! To turn it into a mechanism that would bring “the Rest” into the fold! Yet the only news item coming out of the G20 this year appears to be bilaterals, or the occasional drama, like who dares to have their picture taken with the radioactive Saudi crown prince. It is a pity, if you ask me.

November 30 2018

GÜVEN SAK

Turkey is among top ten reformers in 2018

The World Bank released its Doing Business 2019 report just about ten days ago. And guess what? Turkey is among the top ten reformers this year. That is good, but not enough if Turkey wants to fulfill its potential. Let me expand on that a bit.

November 09 2018

GÜVEN SAK

How we all became ‘unknown Middle Easterners’

Every flower has a season. Every idea has its time. That’s what I have been thinking about at the D-8 meeting in the southern province of Antalya this week.

November 02 2018

GÜVEN SAK

Germany-Turkey: It’s about more than just migration

The German Economy and Energy Minister Peter Altmeier, accompanied by a large delegation, was in Ankara this week.

October 27 2018

GÜVEN SAK

Keeping up appearances

Remember the British comedy series in the 1990s “Keeping Up Appearances?” Hyacinth Bucket, poor soul, so many liked to pronounce her surname as “Bouquet” when answering the phone. She used to say things like “Oh, it’s my sister Violet calling! She’s the one with the Mercedes, swimming pool, and room for a pony.” Keep pretending to be less miserable, and less poor than you really are, and maybe you will be. Right?

October 19 2018

GÜVEN SAK

Can we expect a WTO 2.0?

2015 was not a bad year for global governance. The Paris Climate Accord was signed, giving us hope for the future balance of the environment. The Iran nuclear deal, also inked that year, was a relief for our good old Middle East. It was also the year Turkey was leading the G20, and world leaders met on the beaches of Antalya. The optimism of 2015 is now totally replaced by something else. It seems like a long time ago when the world could seriously talk about big things like climate change and global economic governance in a constructive way. Should we be totally pessimistic? I don’t think so. I think even more than 2015, this is the kind of environment when big changes can take place. And trade is one area where that looks likely.

October 05 2018

GÜVEN SAK

A German-Turkish revolution

Rapprochement is in the air. I think this newly developing partnership is inevitable. Why? It is almost like that 1969 hit by Thunderclap Newman, the old British rock band:

September 28 2018

GÜVEN SAK

Clueless in crisis

It was around 2001. I was at the American University of Beirut, and the discussion was on Turkey’s efforts to stabilize its economy. The currency crisis at the time led Turkey to freely float the Turkish Lira. Someone asked me how to determine the right time to float a currency. Timing a float? It still strikes me as a strange concept. You can’t plan a time to float your currency, it just happens. No one in their right mind could plan something that big and be responsible for the losses of so many people. But it does happen.

September 14 2018