Cybersecurity Board convenes as Digital Sovereignty Strategy is tabled

The Cybersecurity Board convened under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting addressed digital sovereignty as a national security priority, and the Digital Sovereignty Strategy, which aims to reduce dependence on foreign technologies in critical areas, was presented to the board.

The Turkiye Times Editorial DeskOctober 27, 2026, 07:46 PMUpdated: October 27, 2026, 07:51 PM

Cybersecurity Board convenes as Digital Sovereignty Strategy is tabled

The Cybersecurity Board convened under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting assessed the impact of global and regional geopolitical developments on the cybersecurity environment, recent international cyber incidents and changing threat patterns.

The board also addressed how developments in artificial intelligence are changing the nature, scale and speed of cyber threats. The risks posed by algorithm-based manipulation on digital platforms and cognitive influence campaigns to national security and societal resilience were also on the agenda.

Digital sovereignty as a national security priority

Ankara'daki Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi (arşiv)

The meeting assessed digital sovereignty as a national security priority alongside the protection of critical infrastructure, strengthening national cyber resilience and deterrence, and technological independence.

The Digital Sovereignty Strategy, prepared to strengthen Türkiye's digital sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign technologies in critical areas, was presented to the board. It was decided that the decisions set out in the strategy would be implemented by the relevant institutions within their respective areas of responsibility, and that the process would be regularly monitored and assessed.

Cooperation among the public sector, private sector and academia

The board highlighted the importance of strengthening inter-institutional coordination and joint risk-assessment capacity, as well as deepening cooperation among public institutions, the private sector and academia.

The Cybersecurity Board includes the Vice President, relevant ministers, the head of the National Intelligence Organization, the head of the Presidency of Defence Industries and the head of Cybersecurity. The board convened for the first time this year on May 5, when it addressed the protection of critical infrastructure, data sovereignty and the expansion of domestic and national capacity.

The 2027 Presidential Annual Program also sets the goal of implementing the SAYGEP Project in the field of cybersecurity and increasing research in deep-technology fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

A general view of the Cyber Security Council meeting