NEW YORK/ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday attended a reception hosted by US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump in honor of heads of state and their spouses.

Erdogan was accompanied by first lady Emine Erdogan to the event, which took place at the Lotte Palace Hotel on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The reception was closed to the press.

Separately, Emine Erdogan, who also serves as chair of the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, attended a reception hosted by Melania Trump for leaders’ spouses. The gathering provided an opportunity for informal exchanges among first ladies.

During the event, Emine Erdogan was seen conversing with several leaders’ spouses and exchanging views on issues including children, women, the environment, and culture.

Separately, Emine Erdogan met with Gabon’s First Lady Zita Oligui Nguema, wife of Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, at the Turkish House (Türkevi).

During the meeting, Nguema expressed her wish to draw inspiration from the "Zero Waste" project and to cooperate with Türkiye in this field.

At Nguema’s request, Erdogan said technical training could be provided through the Zero Waste Foundation. She also suggested that vocational training courses in design could be organized under the coordination of the Africa House to support the development of African handicrafts.

Highlighting the issue of drug abuse in her country, Nguema voiced her desire to receive support from Türkiye in this area as well.

“I met with Mrs. Zita Oligui Nguema, the esteemed wife of the President of Gabon, at the Turkish House. Our meeting was fruitful, focusing on global challenges, particularly environmental issues and the empowerment of African women. I was pleased to learn that Mrs. Oligui Nguema closely follows our Zero Waste project and is determined to expand these practices in her country,” said Erdogan on the US social media company X.

“Türkiye is always ready to share its knowledge and experience for a sustainable future. I hope that cooperation between our countries will help us leave a more livable world for future generations,” she added.

Erdogan also met with Prindon Sadriu, the spouse of Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani, at the Turkish house. In a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Erdogan said the two underlined the importance of cooperation on issues that would advance ties between Türkiye and Kosovo.

"It is our hope that such close dialogue will further strengthen the ties between Türkiye and Kosovo,” she added.