25 March 2011: The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is working on ways to develop its strategic partnership with the EU, particularly on the issues of inclusive growth and sustainable development.

In meetings between UNIDO Director-General Kandeh K. Yumkella and European Commissioners in Brussels, Belgium, the two organizations discussed issues relevant to inclusive growth and sustainable development, such as socially-inclusive, competitive and green industrial development, energy, private sector investments in developing countries, and potential collaboration on climate change mitigation. In addition, they also discussed ways to strengthen developing countries’ capacities to deal with climate change, low-carbon technologies and green industry.

The current UNIDO-EU collaboration focuses on trade capacity building, including establishing industrial norms and standards for competitiveness and consumer protection, as well as on modernizing the private sector for jobs and wealth creation in poor countries. UNIDO is seeking to expand this collaboration into other areas, including sustainable production and consumption, energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy for productive use.

The UN has designated 2012 as the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All, and Yumkella underlined that this would signal the start of a global campaign on universal energy access, adding that, “I am confident in the support of the EU and the European Commission in this respect.” [UNIDO Press Release]