Following Türkiye’s transition to the Presidential System of Government, Presidential Decrees No. 1 and No. 4 assigned the responsibility for reducing regional development disparities to the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Within this framework, the Ministry of Industry and Technology was also entrusted with the national coordination of development agencies.

The purpose of establishing development agencies is defined under Presidential Decree No. 4 as accelerating regional development in line with the policies determined by the President, ensuring the sustainability of development, and reducing interregional and intraregional disparities by strengthening cooperation among the public sector, private sector and civil society organisations, ensuring the effective and appropriate use of resources, and mobilising local potential.

• In line with this purpose, the principal duties of development agencies may be summarised as follows:
  • Preparing strategies related to regional development,
  • Conducting and supporting activities aimed at identifying regional resources and opportunities, accelerating economic and social development, and enhancing regional competitiveness,
  • Supporting cooperation and coordination among public institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations in pursuit of regional development objectives,
  • Researching and promoting business and investment opportunities in the region and attracting resources and investment to the region,
  • Supporting local and rural development activities,
  • Supporting entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship ecosystem,
  • Contributing to the development of the technical capacities of local authorities and organisations operating in the region,
  • Ensuring the single-window coordination and follow-up of permit and licensing procedures for investors coming to the region,
  • Carrying out facilitation and coordination activities to enable regional stakeholders to make effective use of international funds.

Institutional Structure of Development Agencies

Pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 4, development agencies are legal entities and are subject to the provisions of private law in respect of all matters not specifically regulated by the Decree. The organisational structure of development agencies consists of four principal components: the Development Council, the Board of Directors, the General Secretariat and the Investment Support Offices.

The Development Council is the advisory body of the agency. It is composed of representatives of public institutions and organisations, the private sector and civil society organisations in the region, on the basis of balanced representation of the provinces. Development Councils convene at least twice a year in order to submit recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning solutions to regional challenges, as well as the region’s potential, priorities and promotion.

The Board of Directors, as the decision-making body of the agency, consists, in single-province regions, of the Provincial Governor, the Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, the Chairperson of the Provincial General Assembly, the presidents of the provincial chambers of industry and commerce, and three representatives selected from the private sector and/or civil society organisations. In regions comprising more than one province, the Board consists of the Provincial Governors, Metropolitan Municipality Mayors or, in provinces without metropolitan municipality status, the mayors of the provincial centres, the chairpersons of the Provincial General Assemblies, and the presidents of the chambers of commerce and industry, with one representative from each province.

The General Secretariat is the executive body of the agency and is responsible for preparing the agency’s annual work programme and budget and for implementing the decisions adopted by the Board of Directors.

The Investment Support Offices, operating under the General Secretariat, are responsible for promoting the business and investment environment of their respective provinces to domestic and foreign investors, coordinating and following up, through a single-window mechanism, the permit and licensing procedures falling within the remit of public institutions and organisations, and monitoring investments within the province.