Italy to contribute €5.8 million to three new UNIDO projects in Africa and the MENA region
The Director General Giorgio Marrapodi of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation signed € 5.8 million for projects in Mozambique, Tunisia and MENA regions with the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), LI Yong in the presence of representatives of the recipient countries.
€4.5 million will facilitate the Mozambique and Tunisia projects, whereas €1.3 million will facilitate the second phase of a project to be implemented in the MENA region.
Two projects, in Mozambique and the MENA region, promote value chain development in agro industries, where UNIDO has a unique competitive advantage. and other agricultural produce.
The third project, in Tunisia, which is co-funded by the European Union and Italy, will focus on artisan and design value chains to create jobs and economic opportunities for vulnerable populations in the country, especially women. It will follow UNIDO's innovative approach to upgrading traditional and creative industries while promoting cultural heritage and know-how.
"UNIDO's competence in analyzing and upgrading agribusiness value chains is essential to improving the performance of developing countries, especially through public-private partnerships," said Director General Marrapodi. Indeed, in Mozambique, UNIDO will partner with Illycaffè and the Ernesto Illy Foundation to develop the Ibo specialty coffee at the Cabo Delgado province. Similar efforts were already underway in Ethiopia, with Italian funding.
The MENA region project, covering Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, will build on previous achievements and will also benefit from ongoing cooperation with UN Agriculture and the United Nations Organization for the United Nations (FAO). It will improve the financial capacity of women entrepreneurs as well as enable financial service providers to be more gender-responsive.
"The project will focus on policymakers, support institutions and entrepreneurs at the same time," said Director General Li. "This will allow for the creation of jobs, the generation of income and for the greater economic inclusion of women entrepreneurs."
UNIDO and the Government of Italy have a long-standing strategic partnership, which has grown stronger over the years, thanks to UNIDO implements with funding from Italy.
Italy is UNIDO's second largest governmental donor and is highly engaged in North and Sub-Saharan Africa as well as in the Middle East. This partnership seeks to advance development objectives or mutual priorities, including employment and the economic empowerment of youth and women; mitigating the root causes of migration, including through job creation and private sector development; and the development and upgrading of industries in a socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner.
