UNIDO Strengthens Cooperation Between Italy, UN Agencies and Private Sector
United Nations Industrial Development Organization Chief Gerd Müller traveled to Italy. The aim of the trip was to intensify the cooperation with Italy. Müller met Italian diplomats, representatives of the business community and the United Nations in Rome and signed an agreement with the Italian energy company Eni.
Gerd Müller, Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), visited Italy for a three-day mission. / Picture: © UNIDO / Flickr / (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Gerd Müller, Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), visited Italy for a three-day mission. He met with officials from UN agencies, Italian government ministries and the private sector.
During his visit to Rome, the Director-General met with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and Confindustria, the main association representing Italian manufacturing and service companies.
UNIDO and Eni, the famous Italian energy company, signed a joint declaration in Milan during Müller's visit. UNIDOS and Eni plan to cooperate on green hydrogen, renewable energy, and youth jobs, "with a focus on industrial development in Africa."
According to UNIDO, the Director General's first mission to Italy strengthened UNIDO's cooperation with the Italian government and supported UNIDO's Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO Italy) in mobilizing investments and facilitating technology transfers for development projects.
In addition, UNIDO's Director-General met with Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Ute Klamert, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Advocacy of the World Food Programme (WFP).
UNIDO and Eni strengthen their cooperation
During Müller's visit to Milan, UNIDO and Eni signed a joint declaration. To be more precise, it came to the joint declaration on strengthening cooperation. This declaration was signed by Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Claudio Descalzi, CEO of the Italian energy company Eni.
Claudio Descalzi of Eni explained the importance of this cooperation with UNIDO, describing the UN organization as "an important partner with which to work for years to promote concrete sustainable development in countries of mutual interest." According to Descalzi, the industrial sector is the main focus and the one that is most utilized. Projects in the field of renewable energy to economic diversification are the focus of cooperation, "pooling experience, know-how and expertise."
Director-General Müller emphasized the goals of this partnership, "We will strengthen cooperation to achieve the goals and targets of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We have areas of common interest such as green hydrogen, renewable energy and youth employment. And our focus will be on industrial development in Africa."
According to UNIDO's press statement, the partnership will promote UNIDO's global green hydrogen industrial program, improve agriculture in Mozambique, and support Cape Verde's comprehensive renewable energy electrification plan, focusing on wave energy.
Combating world hunger
UNIDO Director-General Gerd Müller met FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu to discuss closer cooperation to help transform agrifood systems.
FAO Director-General Qu acknowledged and commended UNIDO's Director-General on the work of UNIDO in supporting the modernization and productivity of agrifood systems while maintaining traditional values and safeguarding sustainability.
Müller's long history in agriculture, as Vice Minister for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of Germany for eight years, and as a farmer, was remembered by FAO Director-General Qu as a critical asset in his new role as Director-General of UNIDO.
During the talks, both parties agreed to work closely together. This will involve support to transform agri-food systems to become "more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and to take joint action for a world without hunger."
According to a press statement of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the need to create world food security for all was stated as a common goal by both UN diplomats. Sustainable energy is to play a central role in the development of agriculture. FAO as well as UNIDO can make an important contribution to technology and knowledge transfer and stimulate investments in agricultural and food systems to increase productivity, sustainability, and decent jobs.
Italian Agency for Development Cooperation
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
FAO - UN Food and Agriculture Agency