Deputy Minister Bozay: Blue Homeland Is Türkiye’s Strategic Vision for the Future at Sea

Speaking at the 5th Türkiye Maritime Summit, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay stated that the seas are at the center of the ongoing transformation in global geopolitics, emphasizing that the Blue Homeland vision is not only a maritime policy but also an integral part of Türkiye’s foreign policy, security, and development strategy.

Beginning his speech by assessing the changes taking place in the global system, Bozay said that international politics today is shaped by three fundamental concepts: uncertainty, disorder, and connectivity.

Bozay said:

“The international system is currently undergoing a profound transformation. Wars, crises, and geopolitical tensions are taking place in many parts of the world. To understand this picture, it is necessary to look not only at political science but also at the concept of ‘entropy’ used in physics and mathematics. Entropy is the measure of disorder and chaos. Today, the international system is going through a similar process.”

Those Who Produce Technology Shape the New Order

Bozay stated that throughout history, global power balances have been shaped by major technological transformations, noting that every technological leap—from the Industrial Revolution driven by the steam engine to electricity, from computers to today’s artificial intelligence and digitalization—has created a new international order.

Mehmet Kemal Bozay said that research and development, innovation, digitalization, and artificial intelligence now form the basis of global competition, adding that the future’s global leaders will be the countries that excel in these fields.

The Key to the New Competition: Connectivity

According to Bozay, one of the most important concepts in today’s world is connectivity. He stated that countries controlling international trade routes, energy corridors, ports, and maritime passages gain an advantage in global competition, adding that geopolitical theories historically developed around the control of Eurasia have now shifted toward the seas.

“Today, controlling land alone is no longer enough. Whoever can effectively manage the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, Cyprus, and major ports can also direct the global trade connectivity network.”

Blue Homeland Is Türkiye’s Strategic Vision

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bozay emphasized that the Blue Homeland constitutes Türkiye’s strategic vision at sea within this global transformation, stating that Türkiye remains committed to protecting its maritime jurisdiction areas on the basis of international law.

Bozay said that safeguarding Türkiye’s rights and interests across a wide geography extending from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Black Sea, and from Cyprus to Libya, is a matter of state policy. He added that the Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Delimitation Memorandum signed with Libya is one of the important examples of this strategic approach.

“The Blue Homeland concept is a vision aimed at protecting not only today’s but also future generations’ rights and interests. This concept has created significant public awareness and has made important contributions to Türkiye’s maritime strength.”

State Institutions Are Working with a Common Strategy

Bozay stated that maritime policies are not carried out by a single institution, explaining that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Environment, and all relevant institutions work in coordination.

He said that Türkiye acts with a common state strategy in areas such as maritime spatial planning, port policies, transport corridors, and maritime security, adding that this integrated approach will further strengthen Türkiye’s effectiveness at sea.

The Middle Corridor and Maritime Corridors Are Being Planned Together

Bozay emphasized that Türkiye attaches importance not only to the seas but also to strategic projects integrating maritime routes with overland transport corridors. He stated that the Middle Corridor, the Iraq Development Road, Mersin Port, and the Trans-Anatolian transport networks are complementary projects.

Bozay stated that these projects will transform Türkiye into a strong logistics hub between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, emphasizing that it is of strategic importance to consider the seas together with overland transport projects.

Montreux Is One of Türkiye’s Greatest Strategic Achievements

At the end of his speech, Bozay also touched upon the importance of the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, stating that thanks to the strategic vision of the founding leaders of the Republic, Türkiye today possesses strong sovereign rights over the Turkish Straits.

“This vision, put forward in 1936, remains one of Türkiye’s most important strategic achievements. It is our shared responsibility to develop this legacy inherited from the past and pass it on to future generations,” he said.

Bozay concluded his speech by stating that Türkiye’s maritime vision has been shaped as a long-term state strategy that takes into account not only today’s needs but also the geopolitical balances of the future.