Press Release
The Seventh LDC Ministerial Conference under the aegis of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) took place at the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna on 23-24 November 2017. Ms. Yam Kumari Khatiwada, Secretary, Ministry of Industry, led the Nepali delegation to the Conference.
The opening session of the Conference was addressed by the Director General of UNIDO Mr. Li Yong, the Director General of the United Nations Office at Vienna Mr. Yuri Fedotov and the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu. The Minister for Industry and high-level officials from the Governments of the Least Developed Countries took part in the Conference.
Deliberating during different thematic sessions of the Conference, Ms. Khatiwada highlighted the policy initiations and reforms made by Nepal to improve the investment climate. Those policy initiations and reforms have their focus on job creation, industrialization and attraction of foreign direct investment so as to attain the sustainable development goals. She stated that the tasks of resource mobilization, infrastructure development, partnership and coordination among the concerned stakeholders are particularly challenging to achieve those goals by 2030. Moreover, countries like Nepal that are restructuring the political and governance systems are facing higher challenges. She also drew the attention of the Conference on the significance of appropriate fund mobilization and technical support from international community for inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
On 23 November, Ms. Khatiwada called on the Director General of UNIDO Mr. Li Yong. On the occasion, they exchanged views on the possible areas of cooperation between Nepal and UNIDO.
The Ministerial Conference deliberated on innovative schemes for partnerships building and resource mobilization mechanisms for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in LDCs. The Conference also recognized capacity development as an important tool for private sector development in LDCs. The Conference issued a Ministerial Declaration today.
Permanent Representative of Nepal to UNIDO His Excellency Prakash Kumar Suvedi and other high-level officials from the Ministry of Industry and the Permanent Mission of Nepal in Vienna were also the members of the Nepali delegation.
The Seventeenth Session of the General Conference of UNIDO is taking place in Vienna next week from November 27 to December 1, 2017. Secretary Ms. Khatiwada is leading Nepali delegation to that Conference as well.
November 24, 2017
Permanent Mission of Nepal,
Vienna