First UNIDO – ACP Symposium is held in Brussels
Brussels, 24 October 2017/ UNDIO/ ACP: The first symposium dedicated to the cooperation between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP), took place today at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels. The Secretary General of the ACP, Dr. Patrick I. Gomes and UNIDO Director General, LI Yong, took part in the event, which focused on “Boosting ACP Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization through job creation, value chains, and productive investment.”
UNIDO and ACP have been working together for more than 40 years to support human progress and prosperity in ACP countries through industrial cooperation and development. The event consisted of four sessions focusing on the main areas of UNIDO’s activities in ACP Countries: Accelerating job creation in ACP Countries: The Programme for Country Partnership, Transforming the ACP economies and SMEs: investments in value chain competitiveness and compliance for market access, Unlocking the potential of ACP women and youth skills for industrial jobs, and Fostering resilient industries: investing in the circular economy and sustainable energy. UNIDO experts, country representatives and beneficiaries of UNIDO’s projects were present during the event.
During the opening, Secretary General Gomes declared: “The close cooperation between UNIDO and ACP countries over the last 40 years has been very fruitful. With the growing demographic trends in most ACP countries, more substantial and strategic investments are now necessary to accelerate and scale-up the modernization of their economies and create the millions of job opportunities that ACP youth and women are looking for.”
Director General, LI Yong, commented: "In East Asia, 900 million people have been lifted out of poverty since 1990, and I strongly believe that what has been achieved in East Asia can also be replicated in countries across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Indeed, 26 African countries have already developed industrial strategies and policies."
During the event, a brochure on the cooperation between UNIDO and the ACP “Investing in ACP Sustainable Prosperity” was launched. This brochure features information on more than 40 UNIDO operations in ACP countries. UNIDO and the ACP support inclusive and sustainable industrial development in ACP Countries, with a focus on creating decent jobs, strengthening the private sector, adding value to their products, as well as supporting beneficiary country transition to a circular economy and the use of renewable energy.
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