Sierra Leone First Lady, Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio has participated in the first in-person High-Level Meeting of the United Nations Zero Waste Advisory Board of Eminent Persons, and has canvassed Board members and private sector investors to work together for the safety of the future generation.

The Advisory Board, which started to operate with the aim of disseminating best practices and success stories in the field of zero waste and raising awareness worldwide, seeks to maximize recycling, minimize waste, reduce consumption and ensures that products are made to be reused, repaired or recycled back into nature or the marketplace.

This year, the global observance of World Cities Day under the theme “Financing a sustainable urban future for all”, was held under the leadership of Turkish First Lady, Her Excellency Mrs. Emine Erdogan.

With over half of the population living in cities today, major investments are needed in urban areas if the world is to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In early 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the SDG Stimulus, an initiative aimed at offsetting the challenging financial conditions currently faced by developing countries in financial markets. It called for scaling up financing and investment in the SDGs by at least $500 billion per year.

The World Cities Day 2023 of the UN Eminent Persons on Zero Waste brought together leaders of sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, the private sector and government representatives to explore how transformative investment in urban planning can be unlocked and how adequate fiscal decentralization can be achieved.

On 12 April 2023, for her exemplary advocacy on the “Hands Off Our Girls Campaign” , UN Secretary- António Guterres appointed Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone, as member of the Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste.