Emine Erdoğan Meets UN Secretary-General to Discuss Global Waste Management and COP29

New York, The Gulf Observer: Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York to discuss global waste management initiatives and upcoming climate events, according to an official statement.

As the chairperson of the UN Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, Erdoğan provided an update on the board’s efforts in advancing global waste reduction in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She emphasized the importance of continued UN support to strengthen the Zero Waste initiative’s impact on a global scale.

Erdoğan also discussed Türkiye’s collaboration with Azerbaijan in preparing for the 29th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29), set to take place in Baku this November. She revealed that one of the thematic days at COP29 will focus on “Zero Waste,” with a series of events planned around this initiative. Additionally, the third in-person meeting of the UN advisory board is scheduled to be held during the conference, for which Erdoğan extended an invitation to Guterres.

The First Lady expressed deep sorrow over the damage caused by recent conflicts, noting the often-overlooked environmental impact of war, which exacerbates the global climate crisis.

Following the meeting, Erdoğan shared her reflections on X (formerly Twitter), describing the discussion with Guterres as “productive” and reaffirming her commitment to advancing global waste management efforts.

This meeting underscores Türkiye’s leadership role in international environmental initiatives and highlights the global importance of sustainable waste management in addressing climate change.