TASAM | Turkey - Italy Strategic Dialogue Thinking Diplomacy: New Wo...

Turkey - Italy Strategic Dialogue

“Thinking Diplomacy: New World New Horizons“

When we look at the main trends in the world, global competition in the age of new economy based on "information and knowledge-based products" following "soil and machinery" is developing through "micro-nationalism", "integration" and "unpredictability’’. Challenges that determine the new nature of life and state; such as " crisis in resource and sharing ", unsustainability of production-consumption-growth formula, purge of the middle class with Chinese leverage, energy, water, and food insecurity, transition to the 4th dimension, liquidation of human resources in the workforce, transition from hard power to soft and smart power on the basis of the very changing state nature and anticipation management, can be formed as the basic references.

Within all these fundamental parameters, the transformations in technology are prone to change the whole human life and nature by developing with artificial intelligence, virtual/enhanced reality and mobility centered. It is obvious that the concepts of "Industry 4.0" and "Society 5.0" are important topics for managing the transformation of the world within the dimensions of industry and society. Another contributive factor is the turbulence that China creates as it begins to become intensively dominant on the world stage day to day. The New Silk Road project, "One Belt and One Road Initiative"; is shaped as a global integration project involving more than hundred countries, both on land and at sea, permanently changing the distribution of economic shares. In countries with no middle class, authoritarian regimes or chaos stands as two options in the fore-seeable future. How to make the division of labor in terms of regional and global security and how to share the costs is also a point of discussion in the coming period.

The development of new alliances on security can be read from the risks and the initiatives undertaken by dominant countries. The quality of the concepts of property and power, and the business model change historically. The future of the EU with the "Failure in Success" syndrome will be determined by the results of the polarization which revived in the West after the Brexit. Along with all these developments, "Ecosystem of safety" changes with the law. The "Security - Democracy" dilemma will be experienced much more after that. Because, for the democracy, it is difficult to survive in countries where the middle class is melting and security leans to a sophisticated ground. The question "Will security bring us authoritarian regimes" needs to be discussed further.

Turkey distinguishes itself with an 84-million inhabitants, growing economy and geo-strategic status in the center of Afro-Eurasia. Turkey's historical, political and cultural ties between Europe, Black Sea, Caucasus, Asia, Middle East and African countries, rising activity in the international arena, especially in the United Nations, being an important member of organizations such as NATO, OSCE and CICA and with active foreign policy, it has become an increasingly important actor on the global platform.

Italy, one of the most deeply rooted history of Europe and the Mediterranean, has intellectual, cultural background and state tradition, is among the largest economies in the world with its GDP of more than 2 trillion dollars (2019) with population exceeding 60 million. Italy, which is one of the founding members of the European Union, attracts attention with its active position in international organizations and groups such as NATO, OSCE and G7. These elements, with the support of its geostrategic position, give Italy influence and action in the developments either in its region or global scale.

Turkish - Italian relations traces back to old times, contacts and commercial relations with Venice and Genoese in the early periods of the Ottoman Empire. The diplomatic relations between Turkey and Italy was established in 1856 and in 2006 the 150^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Italy was celebrated. Turkey and Italy, sharing common interests in the Mediterranean Basin are two regional powers that share a common history and values. Relations between the two countries are defined as strategic partnership. The two countries have the willpower to cooperate in finding solutions to regional and global issues.

Italy supports Turkey's EU membership. Turkey is a reliable regional power in Balkans, Middle East and Caucasus and the thought that Turkey's membership of EU will reinforce the power of EU and make the union global power is dominant in Italy. The three-legged process (Turkey - Italy Intergovernmental Summit, Turkish - Italian Forum and Turkish - Italian Media Forum) that enables the communion at almost all levels in bilateral relations contributes to the institutionalization of relations.

Italy is one of Turkey's most important trading partners. The bilateral trade volume between Turkey and Italy stood at nearly 18 billion dollars in 2019 and trade gap weigh against Italy was approximately 0.69 billion dollars. In 2019, Italy was the 3^rd among the countries to which Turkey exported most, and the 5^th among the countries from which Turkey imported most. The main products exported by Turkey to Italy are automotive main and sub-industry products, textiles, iron-steel and by-products. The main products exported by Italy to Turkey are machinery and equipment, transport vehicles, metals and chemicals.

There are more than 1,500 Italian companies in Turkey. In the period of 2002-2019 a total investment of 3.7 billion dollars made from Italy to Turkey. In 2019, 377.011 Italian tourists visited Turkey.

Democracy, secularism, World Trade Organization membership and developmental economies are common feature of the two countries. Turkey gives the necessary importance to Italy which is an effective power in the global arena by its growing economy, wide market, military power and superiority in information technology.

Both countries are striving to make new and realistic openings in their relations with each other and are rediscovering each other with increasing contacts in every field. Cooperation potential between the two countries in the related fields of political, economic, cultural and security, will be further strengthened the ground.

The basis tendency coming with globalization and multidimensionality which gained momentum after the end of the Cold War, aims to strengthen the countries not by themselves but through certain regional cooperation and trans-regional partnerships. Countries are now moving towards an open structure based on dialogue and cooperation in economic, political and cultural terms, while those who cannot adapt are experiencing serious instability.

It is being deeply felt that there is an urgent necessity for collaborative works of the two countries so that the solutions for the regional issues can be found. Now it is required that the two countries head towards a future structure, in order to uplift the Turkey - Italy relations an ideal point within a world power schema which takes its form in a multi-dimensional way, by creating a mutual deepening not only in political and strategic basis but also in its each parameter. History offers both the two countries opportunities for deepening their interdependency. In this regard, the Turkey - Italy Strategic Dialogue, which will bring together the representatives of the related sectors in a comprehensive way that includes the strategic dimension of the relations, will play a significant role.

Main Theme
Thinking Diplomacy: New World New Horizons

Sub Themes
New Balances New Economy
Turkey - Italy Economic Relations: Opportunities and Obstacles
Energy Policies: Geopolitical and Security Cooperation
Technology Sharing, Academic and Cultural Cooperation
Social, Economic and Political Developments
The Future of Turkish-Italian Relations and European Union
Mediterranean, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia Countries and Turkey – Italy
Relations with the US, China, EU and New Partners and Regional Strategies
Rising Powers in the Multipolar World and Adaptation to Global Management Structures

Priority Sectors
Public Diplomacy, Education and Language
Culture and Tourism
Construction, Contracting and Infrastructure
Health and Health Tourism
Energy, Petrochemicals and Investments
Logistics, Transportation and Telecommunication
Banking and Finance (Strategic Investment Fund)
Economy and Trade
Media and Communication
Science and Technology
Brand Cities and Environment
Defense and Space Industry

STUDIES AND ACTIVITIES (DRAFT)

Method
Inductive Reasoning, Participation and Economic Deepening

Turkey - Italy Committee of Wise Persons Meetings Workshop

Building Capacity and Ecosystem Inventory

Preparation of Research Projects and their Reports

Development of Pro-active Policy Recommendations

Round-Table Meetings/Workshops

Multilateral Workshops/Studies

Sector Workshops/Activities

Applied Interactive Modelings

Strategic Reports
Publication of sector studies as strategic reports for decision makers, private sector, media and public opinion of the two countries. Providing literature and memory support.

Media Conferences

Other Academic Studies
Strategic Reports, Books, Articles, Thesis and so on Academic Studies

Event Page
https://tasam.org/en/Etkinlik/17278/turkey_-_italy_strategic_dialogue