UNCDF intervened in the Forum on “Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development” (ISID) organize by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). This key event was attended by over 450 participants, including senior officials from both the public and private sectors, from 92 countries.

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon highlighted the key role that industrialization will play to allow the achievement of an ambitious post-2015 development agenda. Mr Li Yong, Director General of the UNIDO, stressed the importance for different actors – including public and private as well as UN agencies – to join UNIDO’s emerging ISID partnership model, that has been designed to foster industrialization in the developing world.

Intervening in the closing session, together with representatives from Governments (Nigeria, Tajikistan), Private Sector (Philips and Lafarge) and philanthropy (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), Mr Nicola Crosta – Head of Policy at UNCDF – stressed the need for more deliberate approaches to foster the inclusiveness of industrial development and outlined the contribution that financial inclusion and local development finance can provide to this aim.

The event took place at the Vienna International Center and was broadcasted live in UNIDO offices around the world.