Prof. Burhanettin Duran
Head of Turkey's Communications
World politics is currently at a critical juncture, shaken by structural crises stemming from the post–Second World War international order, marked by the dysfunction of institutions and the intensification of geopolitical competition in grey zones. This interregnum, wherein unipolar dominance has concluded, but multipolarity remains unestablished, presents both profound risks and vast opportunities. Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye has accurately interpreted this global uncertainty; rather than remaining in a defensive posture, it has positioned the Century of Türkiye vision at the very centre of the international system through a proactive, agenda-setting approach.
Türkiye’s expanding role in foreign policy is not the product of ideological preference but the outcome of a rational grand strategy. Today, Türkiye stands as a committed flank country of the Western alliance while simultaneously playing an active role in Central Asia through the Organisation of Turkic States, in the Middle East through normalisation processes, and in the Pacific basin through the Asia Anew initiative. Mediation efforts in the Russia–Ukraine war and tangible progress achieved in crises such as Somalia–Ethiopia have attested to the crisis-resolution capacity of Turkish diplomacy. This dynamism has rendered Türkiye an indispensable actor in addressing critical global issues.
Through the transformation it has achieved in its defence industry, Türkiye has translated its strategic influence from a theoretical claim into an operational reality on the ground. Our leadership in UAV and UCAV technologies is not merely an export success. It has also demonstrated Türkiye’s capacity to alter geopolitical equations in conflict zones such as Karabakh, Libya, and Syria. Projects including KIZILELMA, KAAN, TCG Anadolu, and the Steel Dome have shown that Türkiye has surpassed the threshold of technological independence and is now capable of consolidating its security architecture through its own means.
In addition, Türkiye is crowning its strategic position along transportation and energy corridors with its vision of becoming an energy hub.
The discovery of the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea and our resolute stance in the Eastern Mediterranean are integral components of our strategy to minimise external energy dependence. At the same time, through projects such as TANAP and TurkStream, Türkiye has assumed a key role in Europe’s energy supply security, employing energy effectively as an instrument of foreign policy.
“Our country has become the representative of the concept of a ‘conscientious power’ in the world”
In the post-pandemic era marked by the restructuring of global supply chains, Türkiye has emerged as the safest and most efficient route of the Middle Corridor stretching from China to Europe. İstanbul Airport’s status as a global hub, together with Marmaray, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, and major motorway projects, constitutes the physical infrastructure of our objective to position Anatolia as the heart of global trade. Coupled with our export-oriented growth model, this logistics capacity is permanently increasing Türkiye’s share in world trade.
The great Sufi thinker, a man of thought and spiritual insight, Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, defined justice as “giving everyone his/her due and putting everything in its rightful place.” Guided by Rumi’s understanding that “watering a tree is justice, whereas watering thorn bushes amounts to oppression,” Türkiye strives to preserve and nurture the tree of humanity’s conscience.
Extending a helping hand, through the principles of humanitarian diplomacy, to all those in need, not only in its immediate geography but across the world, particularly to the oppressed, Türkiye has become the representative of the notion of a “conscientious power”. Our global leadership in humanitarian aid relative to national income, combined with the extensive operational efficiency of AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent worldwide, further reinforces Türkiye's soft power.
“States must also be prepared for hybrid wars and develop necessary measures”
In this period, Türkiye has also taken significant steps in public diplomacy, another aspect of diversified diplomacy. Alongside promoting Türkiye, public diplomacy instruments have been employed to counter black propaganda targeting the country.
In 2025 alone, a total of 38 panels, 3 media forums, 2 consultation and evaluation meetings, 24 roundtable meetings, 29 exhibitions, 9 memoranda of understanding, 7 study visits, 2 official dinners, 1 preliminary workshop, and 18 training programmes were organised. Additionally, 16 reports and 5 books were published, and 13 videos were produced. Our objective is to ensure that the Türkiye brand attains its rightful position globally and becomes a model through the values and principles it represents.
In this new era, conflicts and wars are no longer waged solely with conventional weapons and systems. In recent years, the societal impact of social media has expanded, cyber threats have diversified, and perception management operations and disinformation methods have proliferated.
With the introduction of artificial intelligence tools, both positive and negative consequences have begun to emerge within the information ecosystem. The technological transformation of our time signals the beginning of an entirely new phase in the field of communication. This chaotic environment carries the risk that certain global companies, acting in coordination with some states, may establish de facto dominance and steering capacity over the communication ecosystem. This means a threat to states’ digital sovereignty. In this context, states must prepare for hybrid wars by recognising their dangers and developing countermeasures, while also ensuring readiness to benefit from new technological developments in the most effective way.
“We continue our resolute struggle against disinformation”
We are strengthening our country’s resilience and preparedness against these new-generation threats and risks. We continue our struggle against disinformation—one of the most critical operational instruments used by states against one another—with unwavering determination.
Our teams work tirelessly to provide accurate information to our citizens in all areas, deny opportunities to perception management agents, and enhance media literacy across society. In an environment where false information spreads like wildfire, we exert sustained efforts to protect our society against attempts to shape agendas through algorithms.
The Centre for Combating Disinformation of the Directorate of Communications operates day and night to shield our nation from polluted information and dismantle perception management games. In 2025, the Centre published 35 Disinformation Bulletins, identified and neutralised nearly 3,000 instances of disinformation, and shared them with the public. Moreover, Clubs for Combating Disinformation were established at 32 new universities, bringing the total to 76 universities across 60 provinces.
“We continue to work with full dedication under the leadership of President Erdoğan”
One of the principal objectives of information activities—serving as a bridge between the state and society—is most effectively fulfilled by the Presidency's Communication Centre (CİMER), which operates under the Directorate of Communications.