Istanbul: Trkiye-backed zero waste projects are helping create jobs, build local capacity and turn waste into economic value in partner countries, speakers said Sunday at the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul.
According to Anadolu Agency, during the panel titled ‘How to Engage with the Zero Waste Approach in Development Cooperation: The TIKA Example,’ speakers focused on translating waste policies into development outcomes through international cooperation. Mert Yunus Balci, adviser to the president of Trkiye’s Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), emphasized that zero waste has become a key development tool amid rising global waste and shrinking aid budgets. He noted that global waste is expected to rise from 2.1 to 3.8 billion tons by 2050, with much of the increase in the Global South.
Balci highlighted that Trkiye’s Zero Waste Project, launched in 2017 under the leadership of first lady Emine Erdogan, has significantly improved the country’s waste recovery rate from 13% to 37.5%, returning 90 million tons of waste to the economy. Over the past five years, TIKA has undertaken more than 70 zero-waste projects, emphasizing local ownership, skills transfer, and sustainability over mere aid delivery. Balci stated that the impact of these projects is measured through jobs, women’s participation, and youth skills, rather than just waste volumes, and announced plans for more than 40 new projects in 25 countries by 2026.
Ateid Afaneh, executive director of the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in Palestine’s Qalqilya District, reported that TIKA-supported equipment, including a cardboard baler, wood grinder, and metal container workshop, has enhanced recycling capacity and created jobs despite significant infrastructure challenges.
Esther Iminza Andiva, deputy director of programs at MaMa Doing Good in Kenya, shared that Nairobi generates between 2,500 and 3,000 metric tons of waste daily, with nearly 60% being organic. She explained how the city’s large organic waste stream is converted into economic value through black soldier fly farming, producing animal feed and fertilizer, with TIKA’s support expanding women-led initiatives.
In Algeria, Ibtissam Abdellaoui, a research and analysis officer at the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, discussed the integration of recycling with digital tools and vocational training to build a green skills ecosystem, including plastic recycling and prototyping through FabLab systems. She emphasized that recycling should be seen not only as waste management but as a value creation sector supported by digital technologies and smart platforms.
The Zero Waste Forum, held from June 5-7 in Istanbul, was led by Trkiye’s first lady Emine Erdogan, who chairs the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste and serves as honorary president of the Zero Waste Foundation, with support from UN agencies including UNEP and UN-Habitat.