UNIDO Partnerships for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

Uniteds Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) supports inclusive and sustainable industrial development in developing countries. The work of the organization has four focus areas: 1) shared prosperity; 2) economic competitiveness; 3) environment, climate and low-carbon developmrent; and 4) knowledge and institutions. Finland supports UNIDO partnerships for sustainable industrial development in developing countries in 2021-2023. The package of three projects receives 3.6 million euros of funding: 1. Development of forestry and mining sectors in the SADC Region (1,380,000 euros); 2. Development of global value chains for circular economy (1,870,000 euros); 3. Development of gender equality and business partnerships (350,000 euros). The project supports and leverages on inclusive and sustainable value chains and business models to develop forestry, mining and circular economy. The project offers technical training in forestry in South Africa and Mozambique and mining-related training in Zambia; advances transformation of selected value chains toward circular economy; and enhances women's participation, gender equality and business partnerships in the Finnish funded projects and in the overall work of UNIDO. The project enhances the skills potential of the poor people, strengthens the business capabilities of MSMEs, as well as anchors multinational EU enterprises with their value chains in support of circular economy in developing countries. The project creates jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurship in the natural resources sectors and low-carbon and climate resilient development. The project improves also women's participation and gender equality in industrial development. Immediate beneficiaries include people who receive forestry and mining-related training and enterprises, business organizations, ministries and experts who participate in the project. Final beneficiaries include poor people getting employment, entrepreneurs whose business has grown, and societies at large in the form of better equality and climate sustainability. The project supports especially women's opportunities as beneficiaries. Partners include SAFCOL and South African DTIC, Ministry of Higher Education in Zambia and Mining Finland, as well as multinational EU enterprises, EIB, Circle Economy, Chatham House, Sitra and Business Finland. The circular economy project is co-funded with the European Commission.