APD | Foreign Minister Locsin Meets UNIDO Director General Li in Vienna, Austria

By APD writer Melo M. Acuña

MANILA,Mar.15(APD) – Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. met with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Director General Li Yong at the sidelines of the Ministerial Segment to the 62nd Session of Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, Austria yesterday.

In a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Locsin described the meeting as “fruitful” as it revolved around the strong partnership between the Philippines and UNIDO.  

UNIDO has expressed its strong support for the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and President Rodrigo Duterte’s 0-10 Point Socioeconomic Agenda through UNIDO’s Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID) mandate.

During the dialogue, the UNIDO chief mentioned the impressive success of the UNIDO-led project on Non-Combustible Persistent Organic Pollutants (NoncomPOPs) in partnership with the Philippine Government, local communities and non-government organizations (NGOs).  He expressed confidence that the Philippines has the capacity to move ahead of other countries in the region through the use of Industry 4.0 technologies that UNIDO is promoting.

They also discussed UNIDO’s projects that are already in the pipeline and possible future activities in accordance with the recently-signed 2018-2023 Country Programme Framework (CPF) for the Philippines.  The CPF will provide support for innovation-led industrialization, a green and resilient economy and ISID.

Secretary Locsin assured Director General Li of the Philippines support for UNIDO amidst the challenged posed by the UN Development System reforms.  Director General Li conveyed UNIDO’s constant cooperation with the Philippines through its country office initiatives and close coordination with the Philippine Permanent Mission in Vienna.

The Philippines, through the Commission on Audit (COA), serves as UNIDO’s external auditor until July 2020. COA has recently signified its interest to retain this position for the period 2020 to 2022.

The meeting was held at the Director General’s Office at the UNIDO Headquarters at the Vienna International Center.  Secretary Locsin was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna Maria Cleofe Natividad.  

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)