Secretary-General, Marking United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s Fiftieth Anniversary, Hails Its Efforts to Create Shared Prosperity

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message congratulating the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on its fiftieth anniversary:

Mr. Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO, excellences, ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to send my congratulations to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization on its fiftieth anniversary.  Over the past half century, UNIDO has worked to reduce poverty, create jobs, promote greener industries, and help countries benefit from international trade and technological progress.

I salute your efforts to create shared prosperity, advance economic competitiveness while safeguarding the environment, and empower women and youth.  All of this is crucial to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Through its Programme for Country Partnership, UNIDO has put forward a concrete model to operationalize and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9 on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation.

This Programme provides an excellent model for our shared work to realize the SDGs and build a life of dignity for all.

I commend UNIDO for its dedication and hard work over the past 50 years, and wish the Organization well for the future.

Thank you.