Turkey Launches 2030 National Smart Cities Strategy with AI Focus
Presidential decree published in the Official Gazette replaces the 2020-2023 plan and prioritizes AI-driven decision-making, data governance, and digital security across urban and rural areas.
KEY POINTS
- 2030 National Smart Cities Strategy and Action Plan took effect via presidential decree on Sept. 19, 2026
- Replaces the expired 2020-2023 strategy with focus on interoperability and preventing duplicate investments
- AI-supported decision-making and data governance are central priorities
- Digital security mandated at highest level from urban centers to rural areas
- Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change leads coordination with multi-stakeholder participation
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed the 2026/11 decree published in the Official Gazette on September 19, 2026, activating the 2030 National Smart Cities Strategy and Action Plan. The new framework replaces the previous 2020-2023 strategy, which has concluded its implementation period.
The strategy aims to build a competent smart city ecosystem by preventing duplicate investments, setting standards, and ensuring interoperable systems. Coordination falls to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change with participation from public institutions, municipalities, universities, the private sector, and NGOs.
“We aim to create a competent and productive smart city ecosystem based on an urbanization model where resources are used effectively, duplicate investments are prevented, standards are set, and interoperable systems are adopted.”
A key pillar is the integration of artificial intelligence into urban management. The plan emphasizes AI-supported decision-making mechanisms and data governance to move beyond simply storing data toward using it actively in administrative processes.
Digital security measures are mandated at the highest level from city centers to rural settlements. The decree instructs all public institutions and local administrations to implement innovative, environmentally friendly, and inclusive projects while providing necessary support throughout the execution phase.
The Ministry will assess cities' smart city maturity levels across technology, human capital, institutional capacity, and ecosystem readiness. The full plan will be published at akillisehirler.csb.gov.tr.
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