The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a specialized agency of the United Nations since 1985 (established as a division in 1966), aims at supporting the developing countries attain sustainable industrial development.

UNIDO currently has 170 Member States. The Member States of UNIDO meet once every two years at the General Conference (GC), which is the supreme governing body of UNIDO. The General Conference also elects representatives to the other two governing bodies of UNIDO i.e., the Industrial Development Board (53 seats each with a four-year term) and the Programme and Budget Committee (27 seats with a two-year term). The Industrial Development Board (IDB) reviews the implementation of the work programme and budget and makes recommendations to the General Conference on policy matters.

A Director General heads the UNIDO Secretariat. The current Director General is Dr. Gerd Muller of Germany, who succeeded Mr. Li Yong of China who headed the organization for 8 years. Since its foundation in 1966, this is the first time that a person from developed West has contested and gotten elected as DG.

UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. However, the relevance of ISID, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Currently, UNIDO is providing thought leadership to the international discourse on Circular Economy, Green Economy, Industry 4.0, De-carbonization of industries etc.

Accordingly, UNIDO’s programmatic focus is structured, as detailed in the Organization’s Medium-Term Programme Framework 2018-2021, in four strategic priorities:

• Creating shared prosperity
• Advancing economic competitiveness
• Safeguarding the environment
• Strengthening knowledge and institutions