The 40th National Informatics Congress, organized by the Turkish Informatics Association, was held under the auspices of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority.
The 40th National Informatics Congress, held under the main theme of “Resilient Informatics Ecosystem Against Natural Disasters,” was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, along with Turkish Informatics Association (TBD) President Rahmi Aktepe and Deputy Minister of Health Huzeyfe Yılmaz.
Speaking at the Congress, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan stated that collaboration and mutual support among sectors such as energy, communication, transportation, and health play a critical role in managing disaster-related processes.
Sayan said, “When one interconnected sector fails to operate healthily during a disaster, the others are also adversely affected. Effective communication and coordination among parties in the disaster management process, along with real-time data sharing, play a key role in the success of the response. Information technologies enable the prediction of potential disasters and preparedness. Although awareness of the necessity of using information technologies has increased in the face of frequent disasters worldwide in recent periods, statistically, the expected level of recourse to information technologies and artificial intelligence applications is not observed. Globally, this average is at 7%, while the usage of disaster-based applications via websites averages 20% and via smartphones averages 7%.”
Emphasizing that the presence of strong and alternative infrastructures is one of the fundamental elements of a resilient informatics ecosystem against natural disasters, Sayan stated, “Infrastructure investments are of great importance in maximizing the utilization of the informatics ecosystem in the face of disasters. We are conducting important studies together with our stakeholders to further develop our communication infrastructures. Investments in fixed and mobile infrastructures continue unabated. The length of fiber optic infrastructure in our country has currently exceeded 536 thousand kilometers.”
Sayan continued, “In the field of mobile communication, while our preparations for 5G technologies continue in collaboration with our Ministry and BTK, the localization of electronic communication infrastructures constitutes one of our most important goals. In the transition from 4.5G to 5G, we aim to adopt domestic and national products to the highest degree possible using our reliable infrastructures and to share the gained experiences with next-generation technologies.”
Underlining that producing high-technology products with domestic and national capabilities in every field is a primary goal within the framework of the National Technology Initiative vision, Sayan said, “In the field of satellite communication, our country's satellite communication capability has been significantly increased with Türksat 5A and 5B satellites. We will launch our first national communication satellite Türksat 6A into orbit in June, hopefully. With this satellite, we will further strengthen our leading position in the region.”
Expressing that monitoring and managing all stages—before, during, and after disasters—for Turkey, where a large part of its lands is under earthquake risk, is of great importance from all aspects, Deputy Minister Sayan stated, “In this process, coordinated action by all relevant parties, collaboration, coordination, and sharing of knowledge and experience are highly valuable. We must acknowledge that building a resilient informatics ecosystem requires collective effort. Collaboration among stakeholders, innovative solutions, and a proactive approach to disaster preparedness are the fundamental components of our resilience journey.”
Also touching on the potential of young people in the informatics field, Sayan concluded his speech by saying, “I always emphasize my belief in the youth and that we will advance even stronger with their energy. I believe that our young people, the future architects of our digital world, will make significant contributions to ongoing discussions on resilience in informatics with their innovative perspectives. In this context, I would like to express my satisfaction that a special place has been allocated to young people at the 40th National Informatics Congress.”
Following the speeches, the TBD / TÜBİSAD Lifetime Achievement Award and Contribution to Innovation Ecosystem Award were presented.