United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
1.From November 2024 to October 2025, has the governing body of your organization taken any decisions, including in the context of the Pact for the Future implementation and/or the UN80 Initiative, that are related to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals? If yes, please briefly mention these decisions and provide their respective symbols and links. (Max 200 words)
In the period under review, the following decisions were adopted though UNIDO’s policy making organs:
- In November 2024, at its 52nd session (25–27 November), the UNIDO Industrial Development Board adopted Decision IDB.52/Dec.6, mandating strengthened UNIDO action in agro-industrialization and food security. The IDB decision reaffirms the eradication of hunger and poverty as overarching goals of the 2030 Agenda and mandates strengthened UNIDO action to advance sustainable agro-industrialization and food systems transformation through initiatives such as the World Without Hunger Conference and the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.
- IDB.52/Dec.5 (pag.12/21) delegated authority to the Director General to approve projects under the Industrial Development Fund for 2024–2025 in line with UNIDO’s medium-term priorities. The decision encouraged increased contributions to programmable funds that support SDG implementation.
- At the 41st session of the Programme and Budget Committee, its report transmitted via IDB.53/16 includes conclusions endorsing the Programme and Budgets 2026–2027 and the Medium-Term Programme Framework 2026–2029 (“Building future-ready industries”), thereby embedding SDG priorities into UNIDO’s strategic planning.
- In IDB 53/17, the Secretariat notes UNIDO’s contribution to the implementation of the Pact for the Future, including through inter-agency coordination mechanisms. UNIDO is a vice-chair of the Working Group on Digital Technologies (Global Digital Compact) and co-leads the work on the digital economy, together with UNCTAD.
- IDB 53/17 also notes UNIDO’s support to the Secretary-General’s UN.80 Initiative and Task Force, especially as an active member of the Specialized Agencies Cluster (pag. 2/4).
- UNIDO’s programming documents, including the Medium-Term Programme Framework 2026–2029, reference the integration of the principles and objectives of the Global Digital Compact under the Pact for the Future as part of the Organization’s strategic direction.
2.From November 2024 to October 2025, what actions have your entities taken to improve coordination among UN system entities across policy and normative activities as well as with ECOSOC subsidiary bodies with a view to increasing impact and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda? Please provide any relevant links. (Max 200 words)
- At the Economic and Social Council segments leading up to the HLPF, UNIDO highlighted the linkages between industrialization, job creation and economic growth, co-leading or contributing to SDG 8-related sessions at the partnership, coordination, youth, and science, technology and innovation forums. The report of the expert group meeting on SDG 8, which was convened by UN DESA and ILO in February 2025, underscores the potential of industrial policies to generate employment in productive sectors with strong multiplier effects on the economy. The recognition of UNIDO’s mandate is consistent with the input by the Industrial Development Board to the 2025 HLPF.
- In collaboration with UN Interagency Task Team on STI for the SDGs (IATT) , UNIDO participated in the development and delivery of training and capacity development activities to support STI and industrial policymaking aligned with the SDGs. A concrete example is the Asia and the Pacific online training targeting policymakers, in collaboration with the Science Engineering Technology and Innovation Policy Asia and the Pacific Network (STEPAN) network (18-21 November 2024).
- As part of the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development, UNIDO prepared a policy brief on scaling up investments in sustainable industrialization, as analytical input to the FFD4 outcome document.
- UNIDO actively engaged with the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where it organized a side event “What is next for Industry? Women and Green Innovation” showcasing approaches to women’s economic empowerment in industry and the green transition. In addition, UNIDO contributed to several UN Women-led publications, one prepared for CSW69 and another for GA “Unfinished Business: Private Sector and Gender Equality – Transforming Corporate Commitments into Equality for All Women and Girls”, sharing case studies and lessons learned from its field projects on women’s entrepreneurship and skills development.
- UNIDO aligns with UN systems’ statistical and thematic mechanisms. For instance, UNIDO is part of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA), contributing to coherence in statistical practices across agencies.
3. From November 2024 to October 2025, has your organization organized any intergovernmentally mandated conferences, forums or events that contributed to the achievement of the SDGs, or has been in the process of planning and organizing any such mandated events to be held next year?
Event Name | World Without Hunger Conference |
Event Dates | 5–7 November 2024 |
Event Location (City, Country) | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
Relevant SDGs | SDG2 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | UNIDO co-organized the World Without Hunger Conference together with the African Union Commission and the Government of Ethiopia (with FAO support). This high-level political forum produced a Conference Declaration aimed at accelerating action toward Zero Hunger |
Website (if applicable) |
Event Name | AI for Industry and Manufacturing Conference 2025 |
Event Dates | 17 September 2025 |
Event Location (City, Country) | Xiamen, China |
Relevant SDGs | SDG9 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | AIM Global Conference 2025, under the theme “From Alliance to Solutions” introduced the High-level Advisory Board, showcased lighthouse AI solutions, and convened structured business-to-business and business-to-government matchmaking. |
Website (if applicable) |
Event Name | The Fourth Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA IV) |
Event Dates | 24 September 2025 |
Event Location (City, Country) | United Nations Headquarters, New York, U.S.A. |
Relevant SDGs | SDGs 8, 9, 17 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | Building on the achievements and lessons of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), IDDA IV offered a unique chance to accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrialization at scale. This high-level event, held in the margins of UNGA 80, brought together African governments, development partners, the private sector, and innovators to mobilize political will, partnerships, and resources for Africa’s industrial transformation. |
Website (if applicable) |
Event Name | |
Event Dates | 2 October 2025 |
Event Location (City, Country) | Vienna, Austria & Online |
Relevant SDGs | SDG 5 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | The Vienna Discussion Forum 2025 was jointly organized by UNIDO, UNODC and the Permanent Missions of Finland, Sweden and Norway. The forum examined the gender dimensions of poverty while serving as a platform to exchange innovative solutions and multilateral perspectives for its eradication. |
Website (if applicable) |
Event Name | |
Event Dates | 23-27 November 2025 |
Event Location (City, Country) | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
Relevant SDGs | SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 13, SDG 17 |
Description (max 150 words): please include a short summary of the event’s mandate and contributions to the SDGs, including its main outcome(s) | The General Conference is UNIDO’s supreme policymaking organ, convening all 173 Member States once every two years. The Conference defines the Organization’s guiding principles and policies, approves budgets and work programmes, and elects members of the Industrial Development Board and the Programme and Budget Committee. |
Website (if applicable) |
4. From November 2024 to October 2025, has your organization published or planned to publish any analytical work, guidance or reference materials, or toolkits to guide and support the implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs.
Resource Name | 2024 International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDG 9 main focus, SGD 7, SDG 8, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 17 |
Publishing entity/entities | UNIDO |
Target audience | Member States and policy makers |
Description (max 150 words) | The 30th edition of the International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics provides a comprehensive analysis of global industrial performance using harmonized data from UNIDO and partners. It examines manufacturing, mining, and utilities, assessing regional trends and the effects of recent crises. Key themes include trade, competitiveness, productivity, women’s participation, and environmental sustainability.. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this edition includes a special chapter on long-term industrial “megatrends,” exploring global shifts such as the rebalancing of manufacturing, technological advancement, decoupling of emissions from production, evolving labor dynamics, and persistent gender gaps. |
Language(s) | English |
Website or link (if applicable) |
Resource Name | Blueprint for sustainable Development: UNIDO’s Blue Industry Contribution to the Blue Economy Agenda |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDGs 9, 13, 14, with contributions to SDGs 2 and 8 |
Publishing entity/entities | UNIDO |
Target audience | Member States and policy makers |
Description (max 150 words) | UNIDO published the Blueprint for Sustainable Development: UNIDO’s Blue Industry Contribution to the Blue Economy Agenda (March 2025). The publication provides an analytical framework to guide countries in advancing sustainable industrialization within the Blue Economy. It introduces the concept of “Blue Industry”, encompassing water-related productive activities that enhance livelihoods, strengthen value chains, safeguard ecosystems and offers policy and technical guidance to link Blue Industry development with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. |
Language(s) | English |
Website or link (if applicable) |
Resource Name | FFD4 Policy Brief “Scaling up investments in sustainable industrialization to close the SDG Financing Gap” (2025) |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDG 9, SDG 8 |
Publishing entity/entities | UNIDO, as member of the inter-agency task force on financing for development (IATF) |
Target audience | Member States and policy makers |
Description (max 150 words) | Scaling up public and private investments in sustainable industrialization is a key to closing the SDG financing gap in developing countries. This UNIDO policy brief discusses how modern SDG-oriented industrial policies, complemented by innovative financing mechanisms and capacity-building, can play an important role in directing financing towards strategic investments and sectors, thus accelerating progress towards the SDGs. The policy brief served as input the preparation of the FFD4 outcome document. |
Language(s) | English |
Website or link (if applicable) |
Resource Name | FairShare Programme |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDG 1, 8, 9, 12, 17 |
Publishing entity/entities | UNIDO |
Target audience | Governments, SMEs, workers, farmers, producers, donors, IFIs, private sector |
Description (max 150 words) | UNIDO’s FairShare Programme is designed to transform global supply chains into drivers of equitable growth and sustainability. By fostering global dialogue, advancing policies and standards, developing practical tools, and implementing country-level interventions, FairShare supports businesses, policymakers, and development partners to build more inclusive, resilient, and environmentally responsible supply chains. |
Language(s) | English |
Website or link (if applicable) |
5. What collective efforts is your organization undertaking to support countries in accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the areas of Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which will go under in-depth review at the HLPF in 2026? Please note any achievements, challenges and gaps and provide any relevant links. (Max 200 words)
SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation): Through the Global Chemical Leasing Programme, UNIDO promotes business models that reduce the use and risk of hazardous chemicals, encouraging safe and efficient water use and pollution prevention in industrial processes. The 6th Chemical Leasing Award Ceremony was held in Vienna on 13 March 2025. UNIDO also contributed to the development of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2025 (WWDR). The chapters on industry, authored by UNIDO, are especially important as they show how the industrial sector both depends on and affects water resources, while also offering significant opportunities for innovation.
SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy): Through the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), UNIDO operates ten regional sustainable energy centres across 120+ countries (including 40 LDCs and 35 SIDS). GN-SEC also promotes decentralized renewable energy (mini-grids, solar thermal, biofuels) and supports related policy and regulatory frameworks. To promote clean energy innovations, UNIDO's Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) supports start-ups and SMEs developing clean energy and energy efficiency innovations, helping to scale technologies. UNIDO promotes energy efficiency to increase energy affordability through the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) Program, which promotes the market for affordable, high-performing energy-efficient technologies and services across Africa. Under the framework of Global Impact Programme for Clean Cooking (GIPCC) and through the Council on Ethanol Clean Cooking (CECC) - a 23 member country networking platform - UNIDO is targeting to shift 2 million households in 20 countries in 5 years to clean cooking.
SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure): UNIDO is custodian for six SDG 9 indicators; it issues its flagship biennial Industrial Development Report to assess progress towards sustainable industrialization and provide recommendations for countries going forward. The 2026 edition of the IDR will focus on “the future of industrialization”, in line with UNIDO’s new strategic positioning under Vision 2050. (See: UNIDO’s Industrial Development Report Series). In parallel, UNIDO published the biennial SDG 9 Progress Report 2025, which tracks global and regional trends across all SDG 9 indicators and provides evidence-based insights to inform policymaking and tracking progress towards the Goal.
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Through its “Cities: Engines of Prosperity and Innovation” approach, UNIDO works with national and local governments to build integrated policy frameworks, foster resource-efficient industrial clusters in urban zones, and advance low-carbon and inclusive urban infrastructure. It also participates in UN-system wide initiatives (e.g., the U4SSC platform) that mobilize cross-stakeholder collaboration and technology transfer to enable cities to become more resilient and sustainable.
SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): UNIDO facilitates multi-stakeholder and public-private partnerships, aligns industrial policies with investment flows, and uses the “Programme for Country Partnership (PCP)” approach to mobilize cross-sector support to support sustainable industrialization in Member States.
If your organization has been part of any initiatives or multi-stakeholder partnerships from November 2024 to October 2025 that support these goals, please copy the table below to fill out for each initiative/partnership.
Initiative/Partnership Name | Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA) |
Partners (please list all partners) | Co- led by UNIDO and FAO |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDGs 2, 9, 17 |
Member States benefiting from it | Global |
Description (max 150 words) | ASTA assists countries in transforming their agrifood systems by facilitating innovative partnerships and SDG-compliant investments in selected value chains. ASTA designs and implements catalytic systems-based projects that create new opportunities and partnerships at the interface between the public, private and civil society sectors. These projects inherently rely on customized combinations of innovative business models, governance mechanisms, institutions, financing and technologies, all connected through multi-stakeholder platforms. ASTA facilitates the creation of system-based solutions – solutions created within the agrifood system that are self-sustaining, adaptive and resilient. |
Website |
Initiative/Partnership Name | UNIDO’s Global Alliance for Responsible and Green Minerals |
Partners (please list all partners) | Relevant international and UN-organizations, UN Working Group on Transforming Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development (WGTEI4SD), private sector, labor unions, financial institutions, academia, non-governmental organizations and affected communities including indigenous people |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDG 1, SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 15, SDG 16, SDG 17 |
Member States benefiting from it | Global |
Description (max 150 words) | For the green energy transition a dramatic expansion in the demand for critical energy transition minerals is expected. This provides an immense opportunity for resource-rich regions in the Global South to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty if the growing demand is translated into inclusive and sustainable industrial development at source. As a response, UNIDO launched the Global Alliance for Responsible and Green Minerals. The Alliance works towards a win-win situation between mineral rich and mineral demanding countries by providing minerals for the energy transition in a just and sustainable way. It aims to support local value addition and create quality job opportunities while safeguarding human rights and the environment. Building on UNIDOs institutional experience and expertise and set up as a multi-stakeholder initiative, the Alliance brings together all relevant stakeholder to create sustainable, fair, and inclusive mineral supply chains that share benefits equitably. |
Website |
Initiative/Partnership Name | Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI) / Net Zero Partnership for Industrial Decarbonization |
Partners (please list all partners) | UNIDO, national governments, OECD, CIF (Climate Investment Funds), private sector, industrial actors, standards bodies |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDGs 7, 9, 17 |
Member States benefiting from it | Brazil, Canada, India, Germany, UK and other IDDI member states (and developing countries engaged via UNIDO) |
Description (max 150 words) | UNIDO champions scaling industrial decarbonization by convening stakeholders, harmonizing standards (carbon accounting, lifecycle assessment), and catalyzing finance (blended finance, concessional funding, PPPs). At the 16th Clean Energy Ministerial and 10th Ministerial of Mission Innovation in 2025, UNIDO emphasized unlocking investments for low-carbon technologies in emerging economies and advancing the IDDI framework. |
Website |
Initiative/Partnership Name | South-South & Triangular Cooperation Mechanism (2025–2026 Call for Proposals) |
Partners (please list all partners) | UNIDO, regional institutions, cooperating countries, development agencies, regional banks, academic & technical institutions, private sector |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | SDGs 7, 9, 17 (and cross-cutting to 6, 11) |
Member States benefiting from it | Latin American and Caribbean countries (and triangular partners from other regions) |
Description (max 150 words) | Launched in mid-2025, this mechanism invites joint technical cooperation initiatives across the region focused on industrial decarbonization, circular economy, innovation, SME development, renewable energy and energy efficiency, gender, youth and policy support. Selected projects receive UNIDO’s support in linking institutions, developing tools, and pilot implementation. |
Website |
Initiative/Partnership Name | Digital transformation / AIM Global & GDC alliances (via MWC 2025 partnerships) |
Partners (please list all partners) | UNIDO, GSMA, Huawei, PwC, EY, Deloitte, UNICEF, telecom & digital sector actors |
Relevant SDGs (list all relevant goals) | 9, 11, 17 |
Member States benefiting from it | Developing countries engaging digital industrialization initiatives (e.g. Zambia digital village) |
Description (max 150 words) | At Mobile World Congress 2025, UNIDO formalized strategic partnerships to implement its AIM Global and Global Digital Compact (GDC) agenda, focusing on inclusive and sustainable digital transformation in industry, bridging the digital divide, enabling Industry 4.0, and leveraging private sector, UN agencies and governments in multi-stakeholder collaboration. |
Website |
6. Please provide strategies (policies, guidance, plan) and/or collective actions taken to implement the 2025 Ministerial Declaration of the Economic and Social Council and the high-level political forum on sustainable development convened under the auspices of the Council. Please note any challenges foreseen and provide any relevant links. (Max 200 words).
UNIDO supports Member States in building productive capacities, driving innovation, and strengthening economic resilience, particularly through modern industrial policies, support to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and the promotion of sustainable value chains. UNIDO further contributes to the implementation of the 2025 ECOSOC Ministerial Declaration through its Medium-Term Programme Framework 2026–2029, “Building Future-Ready Industries,” which provides strategic direction for supporting Member States in transitioning toward resilient, green, and digital industrial ecosystems.
Flagship initiatives include the Programme for Country Partnership, the Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative, and the Global Programme on Green Hydrogen, all contributing to climate action, energy transition, and job creation. Through its agro-industrial development projects and programmes UNIDO contributes to enhancing food security, rural livelihoods, and women’s economic empowerment.
UNIDO further promotes digital industrial transformation, blue industry frameworks, and inclusive access to digital technologies. Through public-private partnerships and cooperation with other UN entities, the Organization fosters policy coherence, technology transfer, and STI capacity-building.
Key challenges include mobilizing flexible, predictable financing and navigating coordination within a reforming UN development system.