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UNIDO in Brief

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) was set up in 1966 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1985. As part of the United Nations common system, UNIDO has responsibility for promoting industrialization throughout the developing world, in cooperation with its 171 Member States. Its headquarters are in Vienna, and it is represented in 35 developing countries. This representation and a number of specialized field offices, for investment and technology promotion and other specific aspects of its work, give UNIDO an active presence in the field.

UNIDO helps developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their fight against marginalization in today's globalized world. It mobilizes knowledge, skills, information and technology to promote productive employment, a competitive economy and a sound environment.

As a global forum, UNIDO generates and disseminates knowledge relating to industrial matters and provides a platform for the various actors in the public and private sectors, civil society organizations and the policy- making community in general to enhance cooperation, establish dialogue and develop partnerships in order to address the challenges ahead.

As a technical cooperation agency, UNIDO designs and implements programs to support the industrial development efforts of its clients. It also offers tailor-made specialized support for program development. The two core functions are both complementary and mutually supportive. On the one hand, experience gained in the technical cooperation work of UNIDO can be shared with policy makers; on the other, the Organization's analytical work shows where technical cooperation will have the greatest impact by helping to define priorities.

The broad programmatic objectives and priorities of UNIDO are into two areas of concentration (a) Strengthening industrial capacities, including programs in support of the global forum function and policy advice (b) Cleaner and sustainable industrial development

UNIDO's services are designed to be easily integrated into country specific packages and local ownership ensures a custom made approach. The comprehensive services provided by UNIDO cover:
1. Industrial Governance and Statistics.
2. Investment and Technology Promotion.
3. Industrial Competitiveness and Trade.
4. Private Sector Development.
5. Agro-Industry.
6. Sustainable Energy and Climate Change.
7. Montreal Protocol (substances that deplete the ozone layer).
8. Environmental management.

UNIDO - Investment & Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) / Investment Promotion Unit (IPU)

» The Challenge

As industries throughout the world confront the growing challenge of international competition, investment and technology are proving to be two essential keys to success in the global marketplace. But many developing countries and countries with economies in transition face enormous difficulties in attracting investors as well as in gaining access to technology and markets.

» The Response

The Investment and Technology Promotion Offices (ITPOs) linked via UNIDO Exchange with public and private organizations working in the field of industrial development. Drawing on these linkages, ITPOs are redressing the industrial development imbalance by bridging investment and the latest technology to those countries most in need of a promotional helping hand. At the same time, ITPOs are opening up new opportunities for investors and technology suppliers to find potential partners in developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The network consists of sixteen offices financed by their host countries in Bahrain, Brazil, China (Beijing and Shanghai), France (Paris and Marseille), Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, Walloon Region of Belgium, Mexico and Turkey as an associate member. Furthermore the ITPO network also includes five Investment Promotion Units in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Uganda (all financed by the Italian Government).

»The Services
The ITPO network provides a unique combination of value-added services to client institutions and entrepreneurs from developing countries and countries with economies in transition which want to forge new alliances in international industrial investment and technology transfer.

◊ Information Fast Lane
Entrepreneurs from the SME sector are often unfamiliar with the investment climate and related statutory requirements outside their own countries while lacking first-hand knowledge of potential partners abroad. ITPOs fill the gap by offering a full package of the latest information on:

     • Screened bankable industrial business opportunities in developing countries.
     • Specific manufacturing facilities that enterprises in their host countries seek to establish abroad.
     • Legal and economic environment.
     • Investment financing and technology supply sources.

◊ Partnership Promotion
ITPOs act as a forum for bringing new business opportunities to potential partners. ITPOs guide entrepreneurs at each stage of the investment cycle, from project identification through appraisal to implementation Investment/Technology Promotion Delegate Program The ITPO network’s delegate program gives officials and business persons from developing countries and countries with economies in transition the opportunity for hands-on training investment promotion techniques. They work side-by-side with colleagues in selected ITPOs experienced in promoting industrial ventures and technology transfer. At the same time, they present portfolios of screened investment and technology opportunities from their own countries to potential foreign partners and act as contact points between entrepreneurs at home and in the countries where they are posted.

◊ Business negotiations
ITPOs organize one-to-one meetings to negotiate specific projects by arranging tours for project sponsors to promote industrial collaboration opportunities. ITPOs provide expert advice to ensure that negotiations come to a successful conclusion.

ITPO-Bahrain, established in 1996, initially facilitated the mobilization of foreign resources to enhance industrial partnership and cooperation between companies in both the Kingdom and other nations.

Through the ITPO/IPU Network of offices (Brazil, Belgium, China, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, Korea, Russian Federation, Turkey, United Kingdom, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt); ITPO Bahrain provides a wide spectrum of services offered to Entrepreneurs during the Counseling & Technology Tie-up step.