EDB, UNIDO strengthen cooperation in Central Asia and Armenia

ArmInfo. On the sidelines of the 20th session of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) General Conference, UNIDO and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) reaffirmed their commitment to jointly promote sustainable industrial growth in Central Asia in a Joint Declaration  signed by Gerd Muller, Director General of UNIDO, and Nikolay Podguzov, Chairman of the Management Board of the EDB.

According to the Bank's press service, the joint declaration  envisages closer cooperation between UNIDO and the EDB, in particular  in the area of manufacturing and supply chain development, including  capacity- building for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and  entrepreneurs; in the field of infrastructure development, including  the promotion and development of digital transformation projects; in  the field of environmental protection and combating climate change,  including increasing energy and resource efficiency; as well as in  the areas of research, policy advice and institutional capacity  building in areas consistent with UNIDO's core priorities and EDB's  key strategic objectives.

Already, the partners are considering many specific joint activities  for 2024 and beyond, including promoting the digital transformation  of SMEs in Armenia; promoting the digital transformation of special  economic zones (SEZs) and clusters in Tajikistan; and the development  of investments in Central Asia in the field of systemic  interconnections "water - energy - food" in the Aral Sea basin.

Copies of the Joint Declaration were exchanged by Gunther Berger,  UNIDO's Managing Director for the Directorate for SDG Innovation and  Economic Transformation , and Denis Ilin, Senior Managing Director  and Head of the Delegation of the Eurasian Development Bank, in the  presence of Michael Dethlefsen, Chief of the Division of Innovative  Finance and International Financial Institutions of UNIDO, and Lilia  Khusnutdinova, Managing Director and Head of the Department  international cooperation of the EDB.

"The Joint Declaration paves the way for closer cooperation with the  Eurasian Development Bank in a region of great importance to UNIDO.  It is fully consistent with the key operational priorities outlined  by the Director General, including supporting sustainable supply  chains and limiting worsening climate conditions, as well as reducing  post-harvest losses and development of value chains in the  agro-industrial complex," Gunther Berger said.

In turn, Denis Ilin added that the Eurasian Development Bank attaches  great importance to deepening cooperation with UNIDO. "Our priorities  coincide in many areas, such as promoting the development of industry  and infrastructure, digitalization, energy efficiency and water  conservation. We believe that combining the capabilities and  competencies of our organizations in these and other areas allows us  to most effectively help EDB member states in solving pressing  problems climate and economic development, as well as in achieving  the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, the EDB and UNIDO  intend to join efforts to assist the countries of Central Asia in  implementing projects in the water-energy sector and in the field of  food security. I would like to note that the shortage of water  resources "is the main structural limitation to the socio-economic  development of the countries of Central Asia. We also offer other  interested organizations of the UN system to cooperate with the EDB  to solve this vital task for the benefit of the people of the  region," he emphasized.

UNIDO and the EDB signed a Relationship Agreement in 2017, which is  currently supported by a Joint Declaration. UNIDO and the EDB work  closely to promote sustainable industrial development in Central Asia  and jointly contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Development  Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

Additional Information:

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the  specialized agency of the United Nations, mandated to promote and  accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development in  developing countries and economies in transition. Established in 1966  with the headquarters in Vienna and recognized as a specialized  agency in 1985, UNIDO aims to promote industrial development for  poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental  sustainability.

The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial  institution promoting integration and development in its member  countries. For more than 17 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen  and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its  member countries. The EDB's charter capital totals US $7 billion.   Its portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration  effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy,  agriculture, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering. The Bank's  operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG  principles.