ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, who heads the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies and of which our country is among the founding members, paid an official visit to Türkiye on April 28, 2025.
During the visit, the ITU Secretary-General first held meetings with Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, and then met with Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Chairman of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, and their accompanying delegation at BTK.
A Strong Partnership Message for the Future
In the meetings, numerous strategic topics concerning the present and future of information and communication technologies, particularly telecommunications, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 5G/6G technologies, and digital transformation, were discussed. Türkiye's technical expertise, infrastructure capacity, and human resources in these areas that shape the global digital agenda were highlighted, and mutual determination was expressed to further deepen cooperation with ITU in this context.
Additionally, reference was made to the historical mission of ITU, which is celebrating its 160th anniversary, and Türkiye's contributions to this process as a founding member were emphasized.
The vision of ITU, which continues its institutional transformation under the leadership of Secretary-General Bogdan-Martin, to make multilateral cooperation more effective was welcomed with satisfaction. It was emphasized that Türkiye will continue to actively contribute to the shaping of information and communication technology policies not only regionally but also on a global scale, and will fulfill its international responsibilities in this field as always.
In the contacts held, it was stated that Türkiye's strategic priorities in the field of information and communication technologies are in harmony with ITU's efforts to achieve digital transformation and sustainable development goals, and messages were conveyed regarding the strategic opportunities created by the ongoing strong cooperation between Türkiye and ITU for a deeper partnership oriented toward the future.
ITU Secretary-General Attends AI Summit in Telecommunications
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin served as the keynote speaker at the “AI Summit in Telecommunications” organized by BTK Academy under the auspices of BTK. The event, moderated by Director General of Communications Aysel Kandemir and featuring panelists from Turkcell, Türk Telekom, and Vodafone Türkiye, was opened by Deputy Minister Dr. Sayan and BTK Chairman Karagözoğlu.
In her speech at the event, which attracted significant interest from students and sector stakeholders, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin recalled Türkiye's historical and active role as one of the founding members of ITU, which is celebrating its 160th year.
Emphasizing the potential of artificial intelligence to produce solutions for humanity, Secretary-General Bogdan-Martin drew attention to the importance of directing digital technologies toward societal benefit.
Pointing out that 2.6 billion people still lack internet access today, the ITU Secretary-General stressed that this is not only a technical issue but also a matter of social justice, and expressed the need to ensure digital inclusion and access to information technologies for everyone.
Noting that BTK Academy's educational infrastructure and widespread access opportunities serve as an example in digital transformation processes, Secretary-General Bogdan-Martin stated that she appreciates our country's efforts in this area and congratulated Türkiye for this visionary approach.
Providing information to participants about ITU's “AI for Good Summit,” one of its most important events in the field of artificial intelligence, Bogdan-Martin stated that this platform encourages global cooperation on how artificial intelligence can be integrated responsibly and sustainably into solving global problems.
Bogdan-Martin emphasized that the AI for Good Summit offers a unique opportunity to develop methods for using artificial intelligence to create positive changes in health, education, environment, economy, and other societal areas. The ITU Secretary-General stated that this summit has become a critical platform for building common global understanding, fostering innovation, and producing effective implementation solutions.
Indicating that establishing technical standards in the field of artificial intelligence is a strategic priority, the Secretary-General evaluated Türkiye's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as a policy document worthy of being emulated not only at the national level but also by the international community.
Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasized the importance of empowering women in the field of information and communication technologies, touching upon the significance of increasing young women's interest in technology and supporting them to grow as strong leaders in the digital world.
Finally, during the visit, ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin visited the National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM), the National Monitoring System, and BTK Academy at BTK, receiving information from the authorities.