As she spoke at her meeting with First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye Emine Erdoghan during the current work trip to the United States, Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova expressed her pleasure at the meeting as well at taking part in the high-level UN gathering convened upon Mrs Erdoghan’s instance.

Environmental protection has evolved into one of the biggest global challenges of our time, said Mrs Gafarova, also referring to the UN General Assembly’s support for Mrs Erdoghan's 2017 Zero Waste Initiative – the support that had taken shape of the UN GA resolution issued in December 2022 and backed by Azerbaijan, amongst others. That initiative is essential for world protection and passing our world down to coming generations in a better state that it is in right now. Mrs Gafarova then mentioned the signing of the Declaration on Global Commitment to Zero Waste for the World, Our Common Home by Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva at her meeting with Emine Erdoghan on the margins of the 9^th summit meeting of the Organisation of Turkic States in Samarkand.

Once again, Sahiba Gafarova expressed deepest condolences to the families and friends of the tens of thousands killed in the devastating earthquake that struck Türkiye on the 6^th of February. She wished those wounded in the cataclysm speedy recovery, adding with conviction that Türkiye was certainly going to overcome the natural disaster’s aftermath, being led by her President Recep Tayyip Erdoghan. Azerbaijan and Türkiye are always together, both in joy and in misery; upon this calamity, too, our state and people spare no effort to help Türkiye in getting over the damage dealt by it. Whilst the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is closely involved in the aid campaign, the Milli Majlis too has sent humanitarian relief to the disaster area, having acted within its means, according to Sahiba Gafarova.

The trip of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to Türkiye to show support to her and the urgent summit meeting of the Organisation of Turkic States held in Ankara on 16 March on Ilham Aliyev’s initiative were mentioned as well. Speaking of the gathering in Ankara, the OTS state leaders were discussing management of emergencies and provision of humanitarian aid there.

Sahiba Gafarova also brought up the legislatures’ role in boosting the relations between our countries, the fruitful and advancing co-operation between the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan and the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, the corresponding significance of reciprocal visits of parliament speakers and delegations and, last but not least, our parliamentarians’ mutual backing in influential international organisations.

First Lady of the Republic of Türkiye Emine Erdogan stressed the promotion of brotherhood and friendship between our countries before praising and thanking Azerbaijan and her people for the support provided by Türkiye in connexion with the February earthquake.

The high level at which Azerbaijan was represented at the UN meeting about the Zero Waste Initiative had also been both encouraging and valuable, said Ms Erdogan before moving on to the significance of the initiative for environmental protection and solution of global ecological problems.

Emine Erdoghan commented on the importance of bilateral and international meetings between Turkish and Azerbaijani officials in terms of further strengthening of ties. She wished the Azerbaijani state and people peace, tranquillity and prosperity.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis