Türkiye's Zero Waste Initiative will succeed globally: Foreign minister

NEW YORK

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said Zero Waste Initiative will replicate its success worldwide just as it did in Türkiye, and will gain even more strength as a UN policy.

Speaking to a group of Turkish reporters at Turkevi Center in New York on Thursday, Cavusoglu said the project has left an impression not only in Türkiye but also around the world.

"We believe that the Zero Waste Initiative, which has been successful in Türkiye, will also be successful worldwide and will become stronger as a UN policy," said Cavusoglu.

Launched by Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan, the initiative aims to emphasize the significance of zero waste in combating the climate crisis.

Cavusoglu said all institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, began implementing the initiative, adding that the project has set a model for the world with the decision taken at the UN.

On Dec. 15, 2022, the UN General Assembly declared March 30 as International Day of Zero Waste in a landmark resolution presented by Türkiye along with 105 other countries.

The first lady on Thursday addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, and called for a “fair system” regarding climate and environmental problems.

Recalling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for reform in the UN, and the motto of “the World is Bigger Than Five,” Cavusoglu said the world is undergoing rapid changes, and numerous problems are emerging.

"In order to solve these problems, the international system needs to be more effective. It needs to be able to make decisions more quickly. This is related to the environment. It is also about wars," said Cavusoglu.

The foreign minister also noted that the UN has acted in cooperation with Türkiye in many areas, including the Black Sea grain initiative and the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia.