Remarks by H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly

at the High-Level Opening of the 20th session of the General Conference of UNIDO (Vienna)

[Pre-recorded]

27 November 2023

Mr. Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO,

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants,

 

It is an honour to address the General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

 

Let me start by applauding you for your stalwart focus on ending poverty and hunger – and accelerating climate action – through inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

 

In today’s era of compounding challenges, an inclusive and sustainable industry is central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

It is clear, however, that at the halfway point, we have not sufficiently used every tool at our disposal, and we are far from realizing the promise of the SDGs.

 

While we see evidence of this across the entirety of the planet, it is especially true for developing countries, in particular least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, which are perilously off track on achieving the SDGs, including the target to double manufacturing’s share of GDP, embodied in SDG 9.

 

Nonetheless, I am firmly convinced we still have time to rescue the 2030 promise.

 

In these pursuits, we will need all hands on deck.

 

International cooperation and partnerships will be key for creating shared progress and prosperity.

 

When coupled with targeted investment and effective mobilization of resources, we only increase the potential for fair globalization, sustainability and development.

 

We must think beyond comparative advantage.

 

We must ensure the positive impact of sustainable industry extends beyond economic growth.

 

This means embracing more sustainable business models.

 

It means prioritizing renewable energy in the industrial transformation mix to bolster climate actions.

 

And, with demand for food set to double by 2050, it means doing much more to end hunger and improve both food safety and food security.

 

By harnessing the power of science and technology, we can open avenues for job creation, productivity and greater entrepreneurship, particularly at the local level, and critically, for women.

 

Indeed, when women thrive, progress is unleashed across communities and entire societies.

 

This, in turn, incentivizes investments that foster diversification and builds resilience to a host of external shocks – from natural disasters and adverse climate impacts, to export price volatility and global economic turbulence.

 

In these endeavors, UNIDO’s role in facilitating knowledge sharing, technology transfer, training and capacity building is absolutely crucial and I commend you for maintaining high impact delivering of these services.

 

But the organization cannot undertake this foundational mission alone.

 

I urge all stakeholders to seize the opportunity presented by the General Conference to refocus on innovative solutions that will carry us through to a more sustainable path.

 

From farm to fork, from factory to finished product, let us ensure the benefits of sustainable industrial development reach us all.

 

I wish you a productive 20th session and look forward to the transformative outcomes of your deliberations.

 

I thank you.