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Türkiye convened the first meeting of its newly established Polar Regions Coordination Board on Tuesday, setting out a roadmap aimed at strengthening the country’s scientific, strategic, and diplomatic presence in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Speaking after chairing the meeting at the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said the board will oversee key areas, including the establishment of logistical and scientific infrastructure in polar regions, expanding international cooperation, and reinforcing human resources in polar research.
Kacir described the poles as natural laboratories that offer insights into Earth’s past, climate change, and global environmental shifts, while also emerging as strategic areas due to melting glaciers, new trade routes, and critical natural resources.
Türkiye has so far completed nine national Antarctic scientific expeditions and five in the Arctic, involving hundreds of researchers and producing more than 100 projects and over 200 scientific publications.
Kacir highlighted recent achievements, including the first-ever seabed mapping of parts of Antarctica conducted by Turkish teams, which was shared internationally.
He said such efforts have strengthened Türkiye's role in scientific diplomacy and boosted its standing in major polar institutions, where it holds full membership.
Türkiye has also signed cooperation agreements with 14 countries on polar studies, with negotiations ongoing with four more.
Preparations continue for Türkiye to seek consultative status under the Antarctic Treaty.
A major milestone in the country’s polar program will be the construction of a permanent Turkish Antarctic Research Base on Horseshoe Island.
Kacir said the facility’s preliminary work has been completed and that it will accommodate up to 50 researchers year-round.
The base will include modern laboratories, an energy system, water and waste treatment, emergency units, storage areas, and a helipad, enabling uninterrupted research throughout the year.
Kacir added that young people will also take part in polar science through competitions, festivals, symposiums, and TUBITAK programs aimed at increasing public awareness across all age groups.
The board was established under a presidential circular to ensure a more coordinated national framework for polar activities.
Kacir said the first meeting reviewed strategic developments in the Arctic and Antarctic, the experience gained from national expeditions, plans for the Antarctic research base, the research vessel process, and ongoing international partnerships.
He noted that the board’s work will make Türkiye's polar activities more systematic and effective and that its recommendations will guide scientific expeditions, diplomacy efforts, technology development, and environmental sensitivity.
Deputy ministers from several ministries, along with senior officials, including the presidents of TUBITAK and TUBITAK MAM, also attended the meeting.
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