The sixth edition of UNIDO’s Least Developed Countries’ (LDC) Ministerial Conference will be held in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, from 26 to 27 November 2015 in Vienna, right before the 16th session of the UNIDO General Conference.

This LDC conference will connect over 250 participants including LDC ministers, and representatives from UN agencies, regional economic communities, institutions in emerging countries, donors and private sector entities. The participants will discuss the best path to graduation out of the LDC category and the innovative ways to sustain structural change and capitalize on achievements.

Background

The Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) adopted at the Fourth UN Conference on LDCs in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2011 constitutes an ambitious agenda by the international community with the overarching goal to overcome the structural challenges faced by the LDCs in order to eradicate poverty, achieve internationally agreed development goals and enable graduation from the LDC category. These priorities are mainstreamed into UNIDO’s vision and mandate (Budget doc., MTPF, etc.). Moreover, following the adoption of the IPoA and upon request from the Executive Board dated 29 June 2011, UNIDO developed an LDC Operational Strategy for the period 2012-2020 to provide a framework for UNIDO interventions in LDCs.

Furthermore, within the context of the post-2015 development agenda, and in order to address challenges faced by its Member States, The Lima Declaration, was adopted at the 2013 LDC Ministerial Conference and was further endorsed at the fifteenth UNIDO General Conference. It established the foundation for a new vision/tool “Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development” (ISID) and highlighted the crucial role of industrialization as a driver for development. While industrialization was not factored into the Millennium Development Goals framework, inclusive and sustainable industrialization now features strongly in the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Indeed, the UN summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has confirmed as goal 9 “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. This sanctions the provisions of the Lima Declaration and the relevance of ISID for the new global development architecture. As such, operationalizing ISID for LDCs will directly contribute to achieving some of the main goals set by the IPoA and anchor UNIDO at the forefront of the 2030 agenda for suitable development.

Thus, the sixth edition of UNIDO LDC ministerial conference will be held from 26 to 27 November 2015 and will take place at a defining moment in the history of global development cooperation. The meeting will aim at giving visibility and an extensive understanding to national stakeholders, including policy makers, on the importance to implement and mainstream “ISID” into national development policies, programmes and budget.

Furthermore, the 2015 LDC ministerial Conference will be entirely organized in close collaboration with the Office of the High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS (OHRLLS), It is also foreseen that other UN organizations (e.g. UNCTAD, ITC, and ILO) will collaborate in organizing specific sessions of the Conference.

The ministerial meeting will bring together over 250 participants including LDC ministers, UN agencies, regional economic communities, emerging countries’ institutions, donors and private sector entities, in order to discuss the most optimal path to graduation and innovative ways to sustain structural change and capitalize on achievements. During the different sessions it is foreseen to have an overview of the IPoA implementation process and reflect on how ISID can be an implementing tool especially in the context of the new SDGs and more specifically SDG 9. Furthermore, sessions on the path to graduation and the direct correlation with industrialization and the mainstreaming of ISID into national policies will be held. The determinant role of partnership development and collaboration with regional initiatives will also be discussed, to finally address the question of sustainability and the way forward as well as financing solutions for LDCs development in the post 2015 era. Gender equality and balance will also be highlighted and debated as a cross cutting issue and topic in all sessions. Indeed, UNIDO recognizes and considers that gender equality and the empowerment of women have significant positive impacts on sustained economic growth and sustainable industrial development, which are drivers of poverty reduction and social integration.

Furthermore, a careful attention will be given to ensure gender balance and geographical diversity in Panels representation for the respective sessions of the conference.

Finally, the international community set an ambitious agenda built on past experiences and on the MDGs, which constitutes the strategic frame for development in the post 2015 Era. In order to ensure the successful implementation and operationalization of ISID and the new SDGs, innovative financial schemes must also be set in motion. The business model does not need to be reinvented, but rather evolve in adequacy with the needs to achieve the targeted goals. Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) like the World Bank or the Islamic development Bank for instance have anticipated this structural need by creating finance corporations directly attached to them. The conference will be a timely opportunity to offer a platform of discussion on this matter and introduce innovative business models and funds mobilization strategies that will be determinant for a successful implementation of the international agenda.

Objective of the Conference

The Ministerial Meeting will take place at a defining moment in the history of global development cooperation, as the international community has just endorsed an ambitious and universal 2030 agenda for sustainable development in September 2015. The UNIDO Ministerial meeting is uniquely positioned to create an opportunity for LDCs and their development partners to embark in an open dialogue to find a common understanding of how “ISID” can better integrate the key priorities, goals and targets of the IPoA and ensure that it reflect LDCs financing needs and graduation endeavor. The conference should also be a very good transition platform from the United Nations Summit in September 2015 towards the IPoA midterm review in June 2016 and lay the basis of future debates and discussions.

The Conference will also be the opportunity to further showcase the relevance of ISID as a major tool to assist LDCs in their path to graduation. Finally, the meeting will be a timely opportunity to assess and build upon UNIDO’s contribution to the implementation of the IPoA and to underline how ISID constitute a customized implementing instrument for SDG9.