Turkey's former finmin warns against rising global debt

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Finding investments and providing equity financing may prove more difficult with rising global debt, a former Turkish finance minister warned Monday.

"Finding investments will be critical," Mehmet Simsek told a roundtable meeting at the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) in Istanbul.

Simsek said 1.7 billion people around the world -- mostly women -- had no access to financing, which he said constituted a serious problem.

The roundtable meeting discussed start-up economy and business angels, bringing together ministers from Ghana, Kosovo, and Macedonia, as well as top representatives from the European Trade Association of Business Angels, the World Bank Group, the UN Industrial Development Organizations and the the Middle East Trade Association of Business.

- WBAF 2019

The two-day WBAF, started on Monday, is hosting policymakers, entrepreneurs, representatives of financial institutions and companies, and hundreds of angel investors from all around the world.

This year, the WBAF 2019, for which Anadolu Agency is the global communications partner, was organized under the theme, "Connecting angel investors with private equity funds to boost innovation."

During the event, 110 speakers from 42 countries will give speeches in 23 panels, two masterclasses, and six international workshops.