U.S. Consulate General
March 4, 2023

ISTANBUL — Senior representatives from the U.S. and Turkish governments met in Istanbul on Monday for the first in-person meeting of the U.S.-Türkiye Digital Dialogue. The Dialogue was jointly launched in 2017 with the first two meetings held virtually in 2019 and 2020.

Senior U.S. and Turkish officials as well as private sector representatives participated in the Dialogue meeting led by Neema Singh Guliani, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Services for Services; Heather Byrnes, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, U.S. Embassy Ankara; and Hüsnü Dilemre, Director General for International Agreements and the EU Affairs at the Ministry of Trade of Türkiye. Istanbul Consul General Julie Eadeh delivered remarks at the event to recognize the significance of this digital cooperation.

The Dialogue opened with a private sector session and discussions focused on four work streams: Cross Border Data Flows; Next Generation Wireless Networks; Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing.

The United States and Türkiye identified the following deliverables to address in 2024, including:

• Foster strategic partnerships between Turkish and U.S. firms.
• Strengthen U.S.-Turkish collaboration on trustworthy AI, including through
  information sharing and support for commercial cooperation.
• Hold technical workshops on future wireless networks, cloud computing,
  and standards and best practices for AI and cybersecurity.
• Collaborate to facilitate trusted cross border data flows.

The U.S. and Turkish officials agreed to review progress on a regular basis and to identify future areas of cooperation on trade and technology. The next formal Dialogue will take place in 2025.

By U.S. Mission Turkey | 7 March, 2024 | Topics: News, Press Releases, U.S. & Türkiye