The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised Turkeys growth forecast for 2018 from 3.5 percent to 4 percent. The IMF said in its mission concluding statement that “following a slowdown in activity in 2016, growth recovered sharply last year with the help of policy stimulus and favorable external conditions.” Growth is estimated at about 7 percent in 2017, it said, adding that it is expected at 4 percent this year. Meanwhile, the Turkish government is seeking to increase foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2018. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met with the representatives of huge foreign companies on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, inviting them to invest in Turkey. Yildirim told the representatives that his country is carrying out comprehensive economic reforms and is implementing essential infrastructure projects, sources close to the prime minister said. The premier also said that the Turkish economy is strong despite the regional circumstances. Turkey received $7.4 billion in (FDI) last year, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT). The largest share of FDI was from European countries, with direct investment inflows of close to $5 billion last year, a 2.4 percent increase from 2016. In this period, investments from Asian countries, which had the largest share of direct investments in Turkey after Europe, dropped by 22.8 percent to $1.7 billion. Investment inflows of $214 million came from the Americas. While inflow from Africa was $43 million and $459 million from Australia.