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UNIDO’S 40TH  ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED IN IRAN

TEHRAN, 29 November 2006 (UNIC) - The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) celebrated its 40th anniversary in a ceremony at the Iran Chamber of Commerce in Tehran on Monday.

It was on 17 November 1966, that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing UNIDO as its industrial development arm. In 1985 it became a specialized agency with its own budget and governance structure.

Since its establishment, UNIDO has been assisting developing countries to achieve sustainable industrial development and reduce poverty by helping the poor to earn an income and improve their quality of life. Today the Organization focuses on three areas, which contribute to global efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals - poverty reduction through productive activities, trade capacity building, and energy and environment.

UNIDO seeks to stimulate the growth of small and medium scale enterprises and is active in promoting productive activities for rural development. The Organization's trade capacity work focuses on helping countries and their enterprises to take part in international trade by assisting them to produce competitive goods that conform to

international standards. UNIDO promotes the use of cleaner production methods by helping industrial enterprises to use chemicals, raw materials, energy and water in a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner. The Organization assists countries to meet environmental norms and standards and comply with international protocols.

Speaking on the occasion, UNIDO Representative in Iran Jean-Luc Bernard said that with a view to help increase the share of the non-oil sector in the economy, to foster the sustainable development of competitive industries, and to create employment, UNIDO is currently implementing its Integrated Program for a competitive industrial development in Iran. This includes, policy and institutional framework for small and medium enterprises development, capacity building, entrepreneurship development programs addressing women and youth needs, in particular in the Bam area; modernization of agro-based industries, initially in the dates processing, later on in the olive oil sector. The program could also be extended in other areas such as the processing of sugar-cane by-products, the dairy industries, the rice and tea sectors; investment and technology promotion, capacity building and technology transfer; increasing competitiveness through industrial renovation and restructuring and encouraging energy efficiency.

He said that UNIDO’s Multilateral Environmental Agreements Branch is also active in Iran. UNIDO has already completed a large number of Montreal Protocol funded projects in Iran in view of the phasing out of Ozone Layer Depleting Substances.

Mr. Jean-Luc BERNARD stated that the UNIDO Office in Iran is also actively participating in the collective response of the UN System in Iran to country development priorities.

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