Jeffrey Sachs, president of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, signed the "Global Zero Waste Declaration of Goodwill" following a meeting with first lady Emine Erdoğan in New York, according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency on Monday.

The meeting took place at the Turkish House (Türkevi) during Erdoğan's attendance at the 79th U.N. General Assembly. Sachs praised Erdoğan’s leadership in the Zero Waste Project and emphasized the potential contributions of his network, which comprises 2,000 universities across 150 countries. He also commended Türkiye’s mediation efforts in global conflicts, including the situation in Ukraine, highlighting that peace is essential for sustainable development.

The "Global Zero Waste Declaration," launched at last year’s U.N. General Assembly, aims to promote sustainable practices worldwide. Erdoğan expressed her gratitude for Sachs' support and underscored their shared vision for a cleaner, more sustainable world.

In a social media post, she emphasized the importance of zero waste initiatives in accelerating progress toward sustainable development goals and called for collective global action to achieve a just and inclusive future. Notably, in 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also became a volunteer for the zero waste initiative by signing the same declaration.

Reflecting on the meeting, Emine Erdoğan stated: "During our visit to the Turkish House in New York for the 79th United Nations General Assembly, we met with Jeffrey Sachs, president of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). We discussed how the 'zero waste' initiative can generate momentum in achieving sustainable development goals."

"We both agreed that global development must be pursued through collaborative efforts in a peaceful environment for a fairer and more inclusive future. I took this opportunity to thank Mr. Sachs for his support in signing the 'Global Zero Waste Goodwill Declaration' as we strive for a cleaner and more livable world."