Development agencies, which are established based on the Law no. 5449, pose as a new model in their respective regions that employs “locality” and “good governance” as a base in realizing regional development.
The crux of the founding rationale of the development agencies is to “develop an institutional mechanism to implement the regional development policies at local level”. Development agencies are the institutional structures that was established in order to accelerate the regional development in accordance with the principles and policies envisioned in the national development plans and programs, to enable the sustainability and to reduce disparities in and among regions through fostering cooperation among public sector, private sector and non-profit sector, ensuring the effective and relevant use of resources and to mobilizing the local potential.
With the establishment of the development agencies, it was aimed at designing of setting up new service zones and units with planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation functions at sub-regional level, taking the NUTS into consideration, with an aim to both using of resources more locally and more efficiently, and reducing of development-based disparities at provincial and regional levels as well as empowerment of the local administrations. The activities for reduction of intra- and inter-regional development disparities are carried out by the Development Agencies with the steering and coordination of the central administration.
Following the appointment of the Secretary-General in August, 2009, Karacadag Development Agency, has completed its institutionalization process quickly en route to reach its main founding rationale, as designated for all development agencies, and has started its activities for regional planning, programming and coordination, programme management, monitoring and evaluation as well as investment support and promotion in a short period of time.
As an institution which will not focus solely on distributing grants, Development Agencies shall pose as a new “good governance” mechanism at local level as they ensure the cooperation and collaboration among public, private and non-profit sectors in management and steering of the regional development. In the agency, which embodies a strong human resources potential, 31 specialists, with diverse backgrounds and linguistic capabilities, are employed.
Karacadag Development Agency has been a member of EURADA (European Association of Regional Development Agencies) since April 26, 2010. As a EURADA member, Karacadag Development Agency was provided with an opportunity to keep track of “best practices” and innovative techniques in regional economic development in order to disseminate them in TRC2 Region (Diyarbakir & Sanliurfa), to share knowledge and experience with regional development agencies established in other countries, to develop cooperation projects with other development agencies, to get up-to-date information pertaining to the European regional development strategies.
The Investment Support Offices affiliated with Karacadag Development Agency, which provide their services in Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa respectively, both do promote the business and investment oppotunities of our region , and offer consultancy services for investors free-of-charge, as well as attempt to minimize the bureaucratic challenges that the investors face.
Establishment of Development Agencies, has aroused a great deal of excitement and expectation, in both Turkey and in our region. In this process, the mission to actuate the region’s potentials, to realize the regional development and to reduce inter- and intra-regional development disparities falls on to our Agency in TRC2 Region.