Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır: 2024 will be the year of industry, technology, and space in our country

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır evaluated the year 2023 and shared his expectations for 2024 in a statement.

Pointing out that there is almost no conflict-free geography left in the world and that problems triggered by terrorism and wars are on the rise, Kacır made the following remarks:

"In Palestinian territories, Israel is massacring and killing innocent people without regard for children, women, the sick, or the wounded. We are those who feel the pain of our brothers and sisters in Gaza in our hearts, who strive for the pain and tears to stop immediately, and who pray. We are those who do not and cannot remain silent in the face of injustice. Today, wherever there is an oppressed or innocent person in the world, Turkey stands by them; we are not with the powerful, but with the righteous. We want the pain in Palestine and Gaza to end as soon as possible and a just peace to be established, and we are striving for this."

Minister Kacır emphasized that a civilization cannot be built on the suffering and tears of others and the sobs of mothers carrying the corpses of their babies in their arms, stating that Turkey will bring justice and compassion back to its geography and the world.

Turkey will be carried to the summit with the "National Technology Initiative" vision

Stating that they are working for Turkey to be among the world's top 10 economies in the 100th year of the Republic, Kacır expressed that they will carry the country to the summit step by step with the "National Technology Initiative" vision in the new Century of Turkey.

Kacır pointed out that successful examples of the "National Technology Initiative" include projects implemented in the aviation and defense industry, and noted the following:

"Defense industry projects have increased our ability to produce technology, reduced production costs, and revealed our potential to develop disruptive technologies in a wide spectrum from unmanned aerial vehicles to rockets, and from autonomous systems to space/satellite systems. We must ensure the supply security of critical components in digital transformation and ensure that design and production work is carried out in Turkey."

Stating that Turkey produces high-tech, value-added products domestically and nationally, Kacır mentioned that they have provided very important gains to the country's defense industry with assets such as Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, Bayraktar TB3, Anka, Aksungur, and Kızılelma.

Kacır pointed out that Turkey has become a world leader in military unmanned aerial vehicle production over the last 21 years under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and underlined that it is first in Europe in the production of commercial vehicles, solar panels, and white goods.

Stating that the country's R&D expenditures have risen to 12 billion dollars annually, Kacır reported that they have provided 5.1 billion lira in support to more than 7,500 projects of 180 universities and 2,600 firms through TÜBİTAK.

Minister Kacır drew attention to the fact that they continue their technology development journey with 9,951 startups in 101 technoparks they have established in 60 cities, and explained that they are reaping the fruits of the infrastructure they have established with 1,623 R&D and design centers.

Kacır stated that they have increased the number of organized industrial zones (OIZ) in the Turkish industry to 360 in the last 21 years, and reported that they will continue to diversify the energy sources of OIZs and support their green transformation on the path of investment, employment, production, and exports.

Türksat 6A was developed with the experience of İMECE

Emphasizing that they say "we are also in space" in the Century of Turkey and that they are moving rapidly towards becoming one of the few countries in the world in the development of space science and technologies, Kacır recalled that İMECE, the first domestic and national high-resolution earth observation satellite developed by TÜBİTAK Space, which will serve in the fields of defense, disaster management, environment and urbanization, and agriculture and forestry, was launched this year.

Kacır stated that they will continue to support Togg and made the following assessment:

"Our brand will be delivered to 20,000 users as of the end of this year. Our agenda for next year includes the goal of Togg reaching more users. We will work with all our might to ensure that our Togg is on the roads more in our country and in the world. Togg's new model will also appear on the stage this year. Our goal is to bring new electric vehicle investments to our country alongside Togg. Next year, projects such as the National Technology Initiative program, the space science mission, and Türksat 6A will be among our priority plans. 2024 will be the year of industry, technology, and space in our country. We will continue Turkey's development journey on the path of investment, employment, production, and exports."

Turkey's design, brand, and value-added chain will be strengthened

Kacır explained that they are consolidating Turkey's gastronomic and cultural influence around the world, stating that there are 18 geographical indications registered in the European Union (EU).

Pointing out that the registrations are a reflection of the vision of sustainable production and economic development, Kacır said, "The registration process for 45 of our geographical indications in the EU is also continuing. In 2024, we will ensure that our cultural products become even more recognized by the world."

Kacır stated that according to the data in the "2023 World Intellectual Property Indicators Report" published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Turkey ranked 2nd in the world after China in the number of domestic design applications in 2022, and stated that they aim to strengthen the design, brand, and value-added chain.

Explaining that Turkey's future will be stronger in critical technologies, Minister Kacır concluded his words as follows:

"From artificial intelligence to quantum technologies, from new generation nuclear reactors to synthetic biology, we will sign innovative projects that will increase our research capacity. As Turkey, we have a goal to create a fair framework for the development and use of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity and to carry it to global platforms. High technology is valuable to the extent that it serves human values."

News Source: 12punto