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WGS 2023: UAE reaffirms commitment to SDGs in declaration with UNIDO

It will strengthen cooperation and support the industrial sector's contribution to the nation's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and attaining net zero

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) today signed a joint declaration at the World Government Summit (WGS) to support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the objectives of the UAE’s National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Dr. Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, signed the agreement.

The declaration aligns with the UAE's commitment to achieving the SDGs and its net zero target. It is also consistent with MoIAT's strategic objectives, which aim to advance the national industrial sector's growth and development by adopting advanced technology solutions, ensuring the competitiveness of local products, and positioning the UAE as a competitive regional and global industrial hub.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said: "The joint declaration aligns with our leadership’s directives and MoIAT's drive to promote continuous cooperation with relevant international organizations. It also supports the exchange of expertise and knowledge to help achieving the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology."

He added: "This declaration is part of our closer partnership with UNIDO. Last July, a joint taskforce was formed in the UAE, overseen by MoIAT and UNIDO. The taskforce will identify and develop joint activities and projects. Cooperation, joint efforts, and the exchange of expertise and knowledge with UNIDO will enhance the industrial sector's contribution to the UAE's efforts to achieve SDGs as well as its journey towards net zero. It will also improve local manufacturers' competitiveness and their adoption of sustainable practices and advanced technology solutions."

The joint declaration covers exchanging expertise, data, knowledge, and experiences, while improving existing cooperation between UNIDO and MoIAT, alongside relevant government agencies and institutions in the UAE. It also bolsters collaboration in capacity building in areas including competitiveness, industrial policies, quality infrastructure, and skills, in line with the Industrial Technology Transformation Index developed by MoIAT.

Areas of cooperation within the declaration include supporting the objectives set out in the annual Industry and Advanced Technology Forum, which is organised by MoIAT and the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS) on the sidelines of WGS. It also seeks to help reinforce the UAE’s R&D ecosystem, as well as the adoption of sustainable practices and clean energy solutions. The declaration will support the implementation of the circular economy and the growth of the green hydrogen sector in the UAE.

The declaration will strengthen cooperation and support the industrial sector's contribution to the UAE's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and attaining net zero. This aligns with the UAE's work to host COP28 in November.

The declaration is the latest step in the partnership between the UAE and UNIDO following a bilateral agreement signed in 1988. In July 2022, MoIAT and UNIDO formed a taskforce to identify and develop joint events, initiatives, and projects.

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