Turkish first lady meets with UNDP head in Dubai

By Mehmet Sah Yilmaz

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye’s first lady Emine Erdogan met with Achim Steiner, the head of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in Dubai on Wednesday.

The meeting at the Sustainable Development Goals Forum held within the scope of the World Government Summit.

The first lady expressed her gratitude to Steiner for all the work of UN offices, particularly UNDP, which provided support during the Feb. 6 twin earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 people in southern Türkiye last year.

The Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes killed a total of 53,537 people and injured more than 107,000 others, leaving a deep scar on the hearts of people worldwide.

Steiner said in his current position, he attaches importance to environment-based sustainable development.

Underlining the importance of waste management in their field of work, he praised the Turkish first lady’s actions and efforts on zero-waste.

He said they are pleased that important practices, such as the Zero Waste Project in Türkiye, are taken to the global stage.

The duo is expected to meet again in Türkiye or New York.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar