VIENNA, 12 March 2020 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Japan are extending their cooperation to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and move closer to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

A kick-off ceremony, hosted by UNIDO Director General, LI Yong, and Ambassador Takeshi Hikihara, Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, took place today to highlight the close cooperation between Japan and UNIDO. The newly-funded projects take different approaches ranging from human security to strengthening of national institutions and industrial value chains to climate and environmental protection.

The Government of Japan has recently contributed over one billion Japanese Yen (approximately US$9.6m) to three projects implemented in Pakistan, South Africa and Uganda. In addition, Japan will fund two projects in the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq with an amount totalling US$636,363.

All five projects are closely aligned with UNIDO’s mandate to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

An additional US$2.5m will be allocated for the implementation of the programme for hosting and managing the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN). CTCN is the operational arm of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is jointly hosted by UNIDO and UN Environment. It promotes accelerated energy-efficient, low-carbon, and climate-resilient development and provides developing countries with technology solutions, capacity-building and advice on policy as well as legal and regulatory frameworks tailored to the needs of their individual national contexts.

Today’s kick-off event was attended by representatives of beneficiary countries, as well as the responsible project managers, who briefly introduced their projects and explained the necessity of such interventions in the selected regions and sectors.

“Our collaboration here today is important. I am confident that the new portfolio of cooperation between Japan and UNIDO will contribute to the acceleration and transformational efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda,” said UNIDO Director General LI. “Since the day it joined UNIDO as a Member State, the Government of Japan has shown a strong political support towards the mandate of the Organization. Japan remains to this day a key partner in our promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrial development. ”

Ambassador Hikihara expressed appreciation for UNIDO’s role “as a platform for partnership bringing together recipient countries, donor countries and the private sector.” He also said “Implementation of the SDGs is one of the most important pillars of the foreign policy of Japan. UNIDO has been a key partner in our efforts.  2020 is a special year marking the start of the “Decade of Action” towards the 2030 Agenda. In this important year, we look forward to further ambitious collaboration with UNIDO to achieve set goals by 2030.”

The project in the Islamic Republic of Iran has been developed in line with previous UNIDO interventions in the country’s fishery and ancillary industries. As such, the project will aim to build the capacity of the fishery value chain in the southern port city of Chabahar to effectively employ quality management systems and identify measures to improve the sustainability of its business operations.

In Iraq, the project will tackle the economic vulnerability of internally displaced people by providing them with skills and entrepreneurship training, as well as equipment and tools to establish their own livelihood activities. The project will also support Mosul University College of Engineering to re-establish its educational activities through capacity-building, and the provision of pedagogic equipment and training materials.

Through the project in Pakistan, UNIDO will assist relevant governmental bodies in improving their existing practices, enabling them to provide food safety services to industry in a sustainable manner. UNIDO will also provide technical support to improve the quality, safety, and productivity of local businesses, which in turn can contribute to better marketability and higher profit.

The project in South Africa will support the country in its efforts to manage marine plastic waste by designing an action plan and identifying sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic. It will also support the plastics and packaging industries in their recycling efforts by strengthening their capacity and integrating the informal waste sector.

In Uganda, UNIDO will partner with the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) to establish the country’s first training centre for road construction equipment operators. Selected MoWT staff will be equipped with the skills to transfer the necessary technical knowledge to existing road equipment operators and Ugandan youth, thus increasing the numbers of skilled workers in this important sector.

For more information, contact:

Monika Eichberger

Senior Resource Mobilization Assistant

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