NOVEMBER 2013
Issue 7
Times unido
Trainees of the project Integration and progress through protection and empowerment of displaced groups in South Sudan display their new designs. Photo by Lidwina Dox/UNIDO
LI YONG ELECTED AS DIRECTOR GENERAL OF UNIDO LI Yong is the former Vice-Minister of Finance of China. Throughout his long career spanning stints at the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GEF and IFAD, he has been a strong advocate of industrial development to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth. “China is one of the world’s largest manufacturing economies and its economic transformation has lifted
hundreds of millions of people out of poverty”, explained LI Yong shortly after being confirmed as the Organization’s 7th Director General in June. “This experience could be shared with other developing countries fighting to eradicate poverty”. Li has held numerous high-level positions in the national and international arena.
>> Cont’d on page 10
NEW SKILLS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE ENTER THE SOUTH SUDANESE CLOTHING MARKET Equipped with creative skills in textile design and starter kits with a sewing machine and materials, UNIDO trainees now have the necessary start-up elements to help them start growing their own businesses, and they are finding that their work is in demand. The UNIDO project, Integration and progress through protection and empowerment of displaced groups in South Sudan, funded by the Government of Japan, trained youths in tailoring, carpentry, welding and construction. >> cont’d on page 6
latest publications TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING RESOURCE GUIDE
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES FOR YOUTH: UNLEASHING POTENTIAL AND GROWTH
A unique source of information for the development of technical assistance programmes and to facilitate the coordination of trade capacity building activities within the United Nations system.
The paper elaborates on the key chal lenges for youth employment, identifies ways to enhance the creative sector by tapping into youth culture and entrepreneurship led by youth, and outlines necessary policy approaches.
www.unido.org/tcbresourceguide2013/
UNIDO BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS Working closely with companies and foundations, UNIDO builds partner ships that advance inclusive and sus tainable industrial development while simultaneously driving business value. Visit the UNIDO YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/unidobeta
VIET NAM INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT REPORT The report confirms the essential role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in creating jobs and improving financial resources, access to technology and managerial know-how. It also highlights that the majority of foreign-invested enterprises are heavily dependent on imported capital and intermediate inputs, whilst being engaged in the production of low-value-added manu facturing activities.
Items for submission should be sent to: A.Berardone@unido.org UNIDO Headquarters Vienna International Centre P.O. Box 300 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+43-1) 26060-0 Fax: (+43-1) 26926-69 www.unido.org 2
unido times | NOVEMber 2013
HUNGER RELIEF IN EAST AFRICA BY PRODUCING SOYBEAN PRODUCTS With the financial support of Japan, UNIDO developed this project to demonstrate the benefits that smallscale soybean processing and the consumption of soybean-based foods can bring to rural communities. Visit the UNIDO YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/unidobeta
EDIBLE OIL VALUE CHAIN ENHANCEMENT IN ETHIOPIA
INTERNATIONAL YEARBOOK OF INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS 2013
This MDG Fund joint programme improves the oil seeds processing efficiency and access to markets for relevant stakeholders. It is implemented by UNIDO as the lead agency, FAO and ILO with a series of national counterparts.
UNIDO’s flagship publication provides economists, planners, policymakers and business people with worldwide statistics on current levels, structures and trends in the manufacturing sector.
Visit the UNIDO YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/unidobeta
Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this newsletter do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or its economic system or degree of development. Designations such as “developed”, “industrialized” and “developing” are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Mention of firm names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement by UNIDO. The opinions, statistical data and estimates contained in signed articles are the responsibility of the author(s), including those who are UNIDO members of staff, and should not be considered as reflecting the views or bearing the endorsement of UNIDO. This document has been produced without formal United Nations editing.
All photos copyright of UNIDO unless otherwise stated.
“People were highly motivated and enjoyed the good working atmosphere”
Contents
>> See page 6
News 04 Snapshots
F rom climate change to metrology, an overview of what’s new
05 Institute trains policymakers, young professionals and researchers
Vienna Energy forum calls for integration of energy into SDGs New skills help young people enter the South Sudanese clothing market >> page 6
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New skills help young people enter the South Sudanese clothing market
The challenges for middle-income countries
07 Report names UNIDO as lead implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol
Features 08 Beneficiaries in Sierra Leone tell their stories
Improving lives through skills training
10 LI Yong elected as Director General of UNIDO
Beneficiaries in Sierra Leone tell their stories >> pages 8-9
“The hopelessness we had before has changed, and we see that we can do things by ourselves” >> See page 8
A new vision for the future of the Organization
Projects by region 11 Africa
uality is our byword. Q Enhancing entrepreneurship education in schools
12 Arab states
Opening markets for Tunisia’s agricultural products
13 Asia and the Pacific
reating cooperative networks to promote eco-cities. C Pakistani mangoes make their way into Walmart
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Europe and NIS Working with and for young entrepreneurs in Armenia
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Latin America and the Caribbean Traditional products shape new businesses
Events Reducing poverty through the promotion of traditional food products >> pages 11-15
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Forthcoming events
UNIDO expands network of sustainable energy centres to SADC
UNIDO to increase technical cooperation with Belarus
Significant increase in cooperation with India
Building on its experience designing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), UNIDO will assist with designing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), expected to be operational in 2014. SACREEE aims to create an enabling environment for regional renewable energy and energy efficiency markets by mitigating various barriers for the dissemination of green energy technologies and services.
The newly signed Framework Programme of Cooperation for the period of 2013-2017 will develop a portfolio of technical cooperation projects for the Republic of Belarus to meet its objectives in the area of sustainable industrial development. UNIDO and the Government of Belarus will cooperate in the mobilization of financial resources for potential projects under this programme, and will explore financing from such sources as international financial institutions, donor countries and the private sector, as part of a funds mobilization strategy.
Over the next five years, the budget for the Country Programme and a second phase of the UNIDO Centre for South-South Industrial Cooperation (UCSSIC) will exceed $107 million. The Country Programme will transfer new green technology to improve the competitiveness of industrial enterprises. It will also increase the productivity, quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental sustainability of industrial production. Phase two of the UCSSIC will enhance South-South industrial cooperation and will especially benefit the Least Developed Countries (LDC).
United Nations launches centre to tackle climate change The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) will establish an information platform for improved sharing of knowledge related to climate technologies and will conduct regional and national workshops on priority issues, entrepreneurship, and the development of policies and programmes to attract Foreign Direct Investment. The CTCN is supported by a consortium of 12 international research and development bodies, including UNIDO.
New metrology laboratory in Mozambique Without the ability to determine length, mass, volume, time and temperature, even the simplest of transactions would be open to abuse, reliable trade would be impossible and legislation aimed at protecting the health and welfare of citizens would have no effect. The new laboratory in the city of Zimpeto was established as part of the project “Competing with quality�, funded by the EU, and supports the main quality infrastructure bodies in Mozambique.
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VIENNA ENERGY FORUM CALLS FOR INTEGRATION OF ENERGY INTO SDGs A global transition towards sustainable energy systems is imperative, and the window of opportunity is now, said participants at the third edition of the Vienna Energy Forum, held in the Austrian capital on 28-30 May.
Plenary session 5: public and private partnerships, Vienna Enegy Forum 2013. L-R: Gunther Maier, Harry Verhaar, Thomas Stelzer, Rajendra Pachauri, Irene Giner-Reichl. Photo by UNIDO/Gerhard Fally
The Forum This year’s event brought together over 1,600 policymakers, country delegations, experts and representatives from the private sector and civil society from 116 countries, to deliberate on sustainable energy and the way forward after Rio+20. The debate was led by approximately 110 high-level speakers.
Key messages The key message of the forum clearly positions energy in the post-2015 development agenda and underlines the significance of financing and partnership in ensuring a sustainable energy future. The need for tangible and measurable benchmarks as part of this energy goal was also a central theme, not only for the global mobilization of action but also for the concrete assessment of viability and progress in achieving these goals. Strategic goals at the global level, such as the three overarching goals of SE4All— universal energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency—were deemed essential for encouraging global action and policy change. Related goals at the regional, municipal and local levels are equally important and necessary to ensure implementation and action at all levels. Six key recommendations on Energy in the Post-2015 Development Agenda have emerged from the VEF2013, and are available in the summary report.
INSTITUTE TRAINS POLICYMAKERS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS & RESEARCHERS
income countries to learn about future trends and developments in manufacturing. Lectures were delivered by highlevel policymakers (including Arun Maira from the Indian Planning Commission), and experts from the University of Cambridge, the University of California, Berkeley and the Fraunhofer Institute, as well as by renowned authors on manufacturing such as Peter Marsh (former editor, Financial Times) and Paul Markillie (The Economist).
During 2013, the UNIDO Institute has conducted three major training programmes on trade capacity building, environmental management, and energy and climate change. Over 500 people have applied for the next course, to be held in November.
This year’s edition of the Summer Course on green industry, held in July, was jointly organized with the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Following an online course for around 200 participants, a select group of young professionals and researchers were invited to Hungary to learn how to improve the environmental performance of industry and bring the concept of “green industry” into practice. The course was led by UNIDO experts, senior policymakers and internationally renowned scholars.
The first programme, a five-week distance learning course on standardization and quality infrastructures, was followed by an eight day in-residence training of policymakers from Central Asian countries, held in May in IssykKul, Kyrgyzstan. While several hundred participated in the distance-learning section of the Institute’s programme, only the most committed 26 participants were invited to attend their inresidence training.
The Institute’s next course, held in November in partnership with the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, will explore new trends and solutions in sustainable industrial energy production.
The Future of Manufacturing brought For more information, visit: together policymakers from middle- institute.unido.org unido times | NOVEMber 2013
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NEW SKILLS HELP YOUNG PEOPLE ENTER THE SOUTH SUDANESE CLOTHING MARKET >> cont’d from page 1
Helping develop a marketable fashion with cultural identity is a follow-up course on basic industrial skills. “We have been encouraging the young ‘fashion designers’ to blend the country’s rich culture into their designs”, says Ammar Al-Kital, the UNIDO project advisor in Juba. To-date, three product design workshops have taken place. They featured invited designers, artists and professors. Lidwina Dox, an expert in product design, who was also one of the trainers, said that she was surprised by how fast the young people developed their skills. “In the beginning, some participants did not even sew evenly and had to redo their work several times. However, they improved their skills very fast and the quality (of their work) improved over time. People were highly motivated and they enjoyed the good working atmosphere. They also saw that their work was appreciated and in demand.” To find out more, contact v.stucki@unido.org 6
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“Participants were trained to use sewing machines, and learnt that even elements of waste like plastic bags, old textiles and paper could be used to produce original works.”
CHALLENGES FOR MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES High-level representatives from some 70 countries gathered in Costa Rica in June to discuss what should be at the heart of the development agenda for middleincome countries (MICs) after the current development goals expire in 2015.
The event concentrated on the role and position of MICs in regional and global development issues and resulted in the San José Declaration, which promotes international and national measures and cooperation to advance inclusive and equitable economic growth and prosperity, industrialization in the framework of sustainable development, and finance and investment opportunities in middle-income countries.
The conference, titled “Challenges for sustainable development and international cooperation in middle-income countries: the role of networks for prosperity”, was hosted by the Government of Costa Rica More information at and co-organized by UNIDO. www.unido.org/mic-conference/
REPORT NAMES UNIDO AS BEST IMPLEMENTING AGENCY OF THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL UNIDO has been ranked as the best implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol for 2012, according to an evaluation report released by the Multilateral Fund Secretariat of the Montreal Protocol. The report gave UNIDO the highest possible score of 100 points and stated that it achieved eight out of eight targets—a score no other agency had ever received before. In the last 21 years, UNIDO has helped in the phasing-out of more than one-third of the ozonedepleting substances in the developing world and supported over 100 countries to comply with their commitments under the Montreal Protocol.
Africa
Arab States
Number of countries
Number of projects
36
188
17
433
Tonnes of ozone-depleting potential phased out
2,618
14,538
Asia and the Pacific
12
366
Europe and NIS
15
234
33,216
4,986 Latin America and the Caribbean
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BENEFICIARIES IN SIERRA LEONE TELL THEIR STORIES “When you have a skill, even if something bad happens in a country, you won’t have to hand it in. You won’t steal or hurt people willfully, and you won’t take a gun for a companion,” explains 21-year-old Malikie Kanneh.
by improving the entrepreneurial, leader- craftspeople to pass on their skills to ship and management skills of youth and others who had no experience of their diversifying income-generation activities craft, and then equipped them with the in the vulnerable communities. It is one tools they needed. These trainers were of seven projects implemented in Africa taught teaching and coaching skills, both by UNIDO under the umbrella title, to help them to teach better, and also to “Response to the humanitarian crisis in reinforce the message that their apprenAfrica”. The seven projects have been tices would be there to learn, not to work Kanneh has just completed a two-year funded by a $ 9.8m grant from the Gov- as low-paid labour. training programme to become a ernment of Japan. mechanic. He is one of the 145 young In the second stage, these craftspeople men and women who have benefited In the first stage of the programme in passed on their skills to others, like from a UNIDO project, funded by the eastern Sierra Leone, UNIDO selected Kanneh, who would otherwise have not Government of Japan, in Kailahun and 11 talented Sierra Leonean master- have had the opportunity to learn a skill. Koindu in eastern Sierra Leone, a rural By using this apprenticeship method, area bordering Liberia and Guinea. which is well-established and understood The project, which ran from March 2011 to September 2012, provided on-the-job training for apprentices to learn various entrepreneurial skills, including carpentry, smithing, welding, auto mechanics, tailoring and weaving. The objective of the project was to build the local economies’ resilience to shocks
Malikie Kanneh, apprentice mechanic.
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The project has been a great success, with about 70 per cent of the trainees starting their own income-generating activities or finding jobs with existing businesses.
in Sierra Leone, both trainers and trainees knew what was expected of them. To give a voice to some of those trainees who now have a livelihood thanks to the programme, Kanneh and others in Kailahun District, in eastern Sierra Leone, were interviewed and photographed. The following extracts were taken from the Voices of Kailahun blog.
Malikie Kanneh, apprentice mechanic
shop and pass on his newly acquired skills to others.
“For me, learning was not just about making money but it was also to avoid becoming a thief. I have never stolen anything, but I used to see the boys I played football with resort to that. I am a careful person and I don’t like stealing, so I wanted to go and learn something.” Malikie Kanneh is originally from Shegbwema, several hours from Kailahun Town, but he left home to come to Kailahun Town when he heard about the mechanics apprenticeship. Before the training, he didn’t know anything about mechanics or how to save money or develop a business. After two years of training, he is now able to repair machines even without his trainer present, and he now knows which steps to take to start his business.
“I can go and teach my own friends so that we can all be working for the development of the country and ourselves. When I help my friends, I am developing the country.”
Since the end of the civil war in 2002, rural eastern Sierra Leone has recovered slowly. A generation of young people experienced a decade of conflict that severely disrupted their education. Kanneh is convinced that by ensuring a livelihood for people he can play an active role in maintaining peace in Sierra Leone. As he puts it, “If someone said to me, ‘go and fight over there’, I would sit and think to myself, ‘Am I going to leave my garage, where I can earn 10,000 Le (€1.86) per day, just to go and fight over there?’ I Now the training has ended, this cheerful wouldn’t do it. With all the learning, I young man, who has started saving a don’t think that I will be influenced by part of his salary, wants to open his own anyone to do such things.”
Mary Sesay, gara tie-dyer master.
Mary Sesay, gara tie-dyer master “What makes me feel good is the way the trainees act. I am proud of them. This project really did well for us. The hopelessness we had before has changed, and we see that we can do things by ourselves.”
Mary Sesay, a renowned gara tie-dyer, lives in the remote eastern town of Koindu, on the border with Guinea and Liberia. UNIDO invited Sesay to participate in the training of trainers, as a master-craftsperson. She recalls the benefits of the training, “They taught us about how you sell, how you save money, and how you have to write everything down, and how, if you are in a group, you have to appoint someone to take care of the money. At that time, we didn’t know anything about business economics but they taught us all that.” Like many others in Sierra Leone, Sesay had fled to the neighbouring country of Guinea when her town was overrun by rebels during the war. In 2007, when she returned to Koindu and to a plundered home, she brought with her the technique of gara tie-dying that she had learnt in Guinea. Her skill has helped her to fund the restoration of
Thirty-eight-year-old Umaru Aruna is a successful and passionate blacksmith in Kailahun Town. The craftsman, who developed his interest for blacksmithing at a young age, even talks about his profession in a weekly broadcast on the local radio station.
Umaru Aruna (R), blacksmith and trainer.
Umaru Aruna, blacksmith and trainer “I don’t know a lot and I am not educated but I can sit where educated people sit and the community values me. The skills that you learn take you a step ahead. I have been recognized in the community more than before. I am proud of that.”
Because of this enthusiasm for his craft, UNIDO chose Aruna to become a trainer and taught him new craft skills, like how to build a cassavagrinding machine, an essential food processing tool. He also developed a different approach to business during the training, “Any business should not stay still; it should grow, so they taught us how to keep documents, how to control the site, to know if you are making profit or loss, and even how to talk to customers.” He says that before, he only had a few customers, but as he learned how to write contracts, his business area enlarged.
her home and to take care of her family: “I sent my son, Came, to Ethiopia to study computer engineering, and all through my gara tie-dying. For this reason, I take it seriously because I know what is has done for me.” Having successfully completed the teaching and coaching programme, Sesay was eager to help other women in her community develop their skills. She informed the whole town that she was looking for apprentices, “We called a meeting and 500 people came! We told them that this skill would help their home to have peace in it, because if you have a problem with your husband or you lose your husband, the group will support you and help you to know that there is hope.” She has successfully trained many members of her community, and now she wants to take the next step and open a training school.
Thanks to the training, his life changed significantly. As Aruna reports, “I didn’t use to save anything, but when I came back from the training, the first thing I did was open a bank account and not only that, but I also joined a credit union. So, now whatever we make, I make sure I save some.” Through the credit union, he gets loans to buy additional equipment. That is an extraordinary achievement in Sierra Leone, where owning a bank account is still unusual. Aruna has become a very popular trainer, passing on all his crafting techniques, from manufacturing cutlasses (machetes) and steel doors to musical drums, as well the newly gained business skills. He beams, when he states that the apprenticeship with him increased his trainees’ well-being.
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LI YONG ELECTED AS DIRECTOR GENERAL OF UNIDO >> cont’d from page 1
Director General LI Yong at UNIDO’s Headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
Before becoming Vice-Minister of Finance, a position he held from 2003 until 2013, he was the Executive Director for China in the World Bank Group and the Secretary General at the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
His vision “The theme of inclusive and sustainable industrial development provides for enhanced partnerships with all relevant development actors and encompasses consideration of both social equity and environmental sustainability. This is instrumental in addressing the challenges of poverty eradication and job creation”, said Li during his meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York in September. 10
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Providing industrial solutions for inclusive and sustainable development has been a priority for Li all throughout his career.
“We need to raise UNIDO’s profile on the international development agenda, provide tailored services, build stronger partnerships to mobilize more resources, ensure delivery to maximize the impact, and provide an enabling environment for the staff to achieve their full potential.”
Under LI Yong’s stewardship, China saw the introduction of a wide range of preferential policies to promote microfinance, agricultural insurance and rural finance. One such microfinance programme created job opportunities for five million women. He also supported small and medium size enterprise development and Li, serving an initial four-year term, takes competitiveness, South-South cooperaover from Kandeh K. Yumkella of Sierra tion, energy conservation and environLeone, who led the organization since mental protection. 2005, and who is now the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and CEO of the Initiative. During his acceptance speech, Li outlined his areas of focus as Director For more information, contact General of UNIDO: odg@unido.org
Five pillars
projects: AFrica Former UNIDO trainees start their own business: United Brothers Business Inc.
NIGERIA PARTNERS WITH UNIDO TO IMPROVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. The key areas of focus in the course of the partnership will include strengthening the 34 trade and entrepreneurship subjects that already exist in the curriculum for senior secondary schools, and developing teachers guides, and monitoring and evaluation tools.
country: NIGERIA
The project will cover the country’s 36 states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), and will be coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education with inputs from the Nigerian Educational Development and Research Council (NERDC) and the state-level ministries of education.
“The programme aims to address the employment challenge of the three million pupils who graduate every year in Nigeria.” The West African Quality Programme aims to foster compliance with international trade rules and regulations, in particular the World Trade Organization agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures, through the establishment and strengthening of national and regional quality infrastructure for the entire West African region. It builds on a previous UNIDO programme, also funded by the EU.
WEST AFRICA BUDGET: €14,000,000
The programme has eight thematic work streams: trade analysis, accreditation, standardization, metrology, product testing, quality promotion, traceability and inspection. Read the project results.
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projects: Arab states
country: TUNISIA BUDGET: $5,400,000
MARKET ACCESS PROJECT FOR AGRO-FOOD AND Traditional PRODUCTS aims at improving the market access for Harissa, Djebba fig and the cactus/prickly pear produce from Kasserine governorate in the centre of the country. It will contrib ute to the implementation of the country’s fruit and vegetable export strategy endorsed in 2011, as well as to the overall national agro-food development programme, benefitting one of the most important economic sectors in terms of employment and GDP. It has been developed through a participatory approach process involving the main actors of the value chains selected and on the basis of the official requests of assistance formulated by the Tunisian Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Agriculture. Project activities started in 2013. It is funded by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
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projects: AsiA and the pacific The South-east Asia: Eco-Cities NETWORK aims to inspire improvements in the implementation of eco-city principles and low-carbon policies in South-east Asian cities.
BUDGET: $600,000
The project, funded by the Government of Japan, was launched in September, when officials from five eco-cities from across the region visited the Japanese eco-cities of Yokohama and Kitakyushu and participated in the International Conference on the Future of Cities. The five cities invited to participate in the weeklong exchange were Pintan, China; Iskandar, Malaysia; Cebu, the Philippines; Map Ta Phut, Thailand; and Da Nang, Viet Nam. This exchange is the first of a series of planned peer review visits and will contribute to the building of a network to share mutual learning and best practices.
Retailer Partnership for Mangoes. Pakistani mango producers have been supported by UNIDO to access inter national retail markets through strengthened compliance with EU and retailer requirements. Potential exporters were linked up with retailers in The Netherlands, France and the UK under an EU-funded trade related technical assistance programme.
Promoting eco-cities. © iStockphoto.com/cienpies
country: pakistan BUDGET $9,500,000
In June and July, ASDA, a Walmart subsidiary, ordered its first shipments for its UK stores. About 43,000 boxes of mangoes were sold in six weeks. For the Pakistani producers this was their first-ever direct link to a major global retailer. It is expected that this direct export opportu nity will positively impact employment and wages in the rural communities. Similar export contracts have been established with Asian retailers.
“I couldn’t understand the minds of European customers. Importers told me that my mango quality was not up to standard. Now I know what to do.” Azhar Khichi, mango producer, Pakistan
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projects: EUROPE AND NIS
country: ARMENIA BUDGET: €750,000
Productive work for youth in Armenia—supporting young entrepreneurs. The project aims to help young entrepreneurs start and expand their enterprises, as well as dem onstrate that youth are credit worthy and capable of turning loans into profitable businesses. In close cooperation with the implementing partner, Small and Medium Enterprises—Development National Center (SME-DNC), UNIDO will provide financial and non-financial services such as entrepreneurship and technical training, development of financial literacy and business skills, counseling and technical assistance. As part of the project, the Armenia Youth Entrepreneurship Fund will provide loans to help young entrepreneurs turn their ideas into profitable businesses. The fund will be established by SME-DNC, with initial contributions of €200,000 each from UNIDO and SME-DNC.
“We expect that over 300 potential and existing young entrepreneurs will receive tailored training. Furthermore, the Armenia Youth Entrepreneurship Fund will allow up to 80 youth-led businesses and start-ups to access loans.”
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projects: latin america and the caribbean
REDUCING POVERTY THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF TraditionAL FOOD PRODUCTS. With the financial support of the Italian Cooperation, UNIDO has partnered with Peru’s National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) and the Ministry of Agriculture to promote origin consortia and collective brands as tools for sustainable rural development.
country: peru BUDGET: €200,000
The project covers eight of the poorest regions in Peru. It assists producers of traditional products to set-up an origin consortium, define the product specifications, register a collective brand, improve product quality and implement a joint marketing strategy. So far five origin consortia, integrating 748 rural producers, have officially registered their collective brands and five more, including 700 producers, are in the process of registering them. As a result of the project, over 2,000 families in extreme poverty areas in the Peruvian Andean highlands have improved their living conditions.
“Collective brands are ideal for generating business opportunities, since owners face the market collectively, unify the quality of products, reduce marketing costs and promote the touristic appeal of the area in which they live.” 15
forthcoming EVENTS
LDC MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE Lima, Peru 30 November to 1 December 2013 This edition of the LDC high-level meeting will bring together more than 250 participants to promote the forma tion of partnerships that will bring sus tainable livelihoods and inclusive welfare for LDC’s citizens.
GENERAL CONFERENCE, 15th SESSION Lima, Peru 2 to 6 December 2013
CONFERENCE OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN MINISTERS OF INDUSTRY Lima, Peru, 1 December 2013 The conference will address the impor tance of industrial production and trade for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, with a focus on innovation and technology transfer.
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In the context of the discussions about the future of inter national development, the Conference will highlight the role of industry in inclusive and sustainable development and the need for new partner ships.
GREEN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE Guangzhou, China 7 to 9 November 2013 The third Green Industry Conference will explore how to promote the rapid up take of green industry in harmony with Earth’s ecosystems.