PM Ersan Saner: Foundations of ‘e-Government’ building to be laid on July 20

THE foundations of a new “e-Government” building will be laid on July 20, Prime Minister Ersan Saner announced.

The date coincides with the 47th anniversary of the start of Turkey’s Peace Operation in Cyprus and an expected visit to the island by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Mr Saner made the comments as he received the head of Turkey’s Presidential Digital Transformation Office Ali Taha Koç on Tuesday.

Turkey’s Lefkoşa Ambassador Ali Murat Başçeri accompanied Mr Koç and his delegation.

Mr Saner said that making government services available online is “one of the most important endeavours for all countries in the world”.

“Developing and changing world conditions and critical advances in technology allow this era to gain a different dimension and evolve to another stage,” he said. “We have been working on these issues for a very long time.”

Mr Saner said that a “fibre optic cable for every house” project he started in 2012 when he was the Public Works and Transport Minister had stalled.

“If this project is realised, it will add value by providing easier service to the people and fulfilling the requirements of the era,” he said.

Referring to fibre optic broadband infrastructure installed in İskele, Mr Saner likened it to a road with “eight lanes in and eight lanes out” that is used by just “one car every hour”.

He said that as part of the government protocol he signed when taking over as PM, the foundations of the e-Government building “will be laid on July 20” and will provide “value and strength”.

Mr Koç said he was “happy” to be in North Cyprus.

“The Digital Transformation Office is responsible for Turkey’s digital transformation and e-Government and will also carry out groundbreaking digital transformation projects in North Cyprus,” he said.

Mr Koç said he was in the TRNC for “technical work” and indicated that in the near future, projects such as the opening of a data centre and e-Government building will be carried out to improve infrastructure.

“I hope we will have very productive meetings,” he added.