UAE wins membership to UNIDO's industrial development board

• UAE determined to play positive role in addressing energy challenges and promoting global prosperity.
• Move follows UNIDO’s adoption of historic “Abu Dhabi Declaration” for optimised private sector collaboration

Abu Dhabi, UAE : The United Arab Emirates has won membership to the Industrial Development Board (IDB) - one of the main policy organs of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The UAE’s membership marked the culmination of a successful week where the Ministry of Energy & Industry hosted the 18^th UNIDO General Conference, presiding over five days of progress, developments and renewed determination towards 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In joining 53 other IDB members elected for a four-year term on a rotational basis with voting rights, the UAE will now play a key role in reviewing the implementation of the work programme, overseeing the regular and operational budgets, and making recommendations to the General Conference on policy matters, including the appointment of the Director-General. The IDB meets once a year.

The UAE’s accession to the IDB came on the last day of the UNIDO General Conference, which was held at Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi from 3-7 November 2019. Uniting member states under the theme of ‘Industry 2030 – Innovate. Connect. Transform our Future’, the conference also saw a number of high-level sessions complementing a main agenda focused on themes including: Youth and Entrepreneurship, Gender, Industry 4.0, Sustainable Energy, Industrial Parks and the Circular Economy.

-Ends-

PR Contacts:
Reethu Thachil
Communications Manager
M Three Marcomms LLC

Press Office for:
UNIDO General Conference
+971 55 35 00715 / reethu@m3media.com 

About the Ministry of Energy and Industry in the United Arab Emirates

With the emergence of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, in the first cabinet formation, the Ministry was established In 2004, the Ministry of Electricity and Water and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Wealth were merged together to form “The Ministry of Energy”. In 2016, the water portfolio was transferred to the Ministry to achieve the Water Security. Moreover, with the cabinet reshuffle

in 2017, the industry portfolio was given to the Ministry to become “the Ministry of Energy and Industry” to ensure the organization, proposal of policies and the preparation of future strategies for the development of the industry sector, aiming for the enhancement of the state’s efforts in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and strengthen efforts to increase the local content in the industry.

Furthermore, in order to contribute in achieving the UAE 2021 vision, the Ministry endeavors to achieve the indicators of the national, competitive and strategic agenda to pioneer and ensure the UAE is among the best countries in the world. In addition to highlight the pivotal role played globally by the United Arab Emirates in the energy and industry sectors through developing policies, legislations and strategies in coordination with the relevant stakeholders to achieve security, sustainability and competitiveness. The Ministry also works on the development of roadmaps to ensure the implementation of the strategies and conducts specialized and innovative studies and research according to the best global practices. Furthermore, the Ministry conducts surveys, develops databases and disseminates information and statistics on the relevant sectors.

The Ministry of Energy and Industry is keen to support and coordinate efforts, in addition to launching innovative initiatives; as it succeeded in developing the first National Energy Strategy 2050 at the regional level, where it was applied through the first laboratory for the future at the state level and it launched as well the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 along with the National Strategy for Innovation in water sector. The Ministry successfully convened the deregulation of the fuel prices and the adoption of a pricing mechanism in accordance with international prices through coordination with the fuel distribution companies in August 2015. The latest endeavor of the Ministry is the operation of the Emirates National Grid Project through the Project Synergy which explores the potential for integrated planning.

The Ministry is working on providing services that meet the expectations of customers and achieve their happiness and positivizes. The total number of key services provided by the Ministry to the customers reached, including: Services of geological and geophysical maps and reports, the issuance of a preliminary approval certificate, the issuance of industrial production license and the request of a customs exemption on raw materials, machinery and equipment used in the industrial production, which are provided through electronic and smart interfaces and communication channels.

The Ministry of Energy and Industry focuses on investing in human capital to attract national and specialized competencies and raise the capacity to ensure the acquisition of knowledge that contributes to the accomplishment of achievements and working to strengthen the role of women in work and take into account gender balance.

© Press Release 2019