By Abdelwaheb El Gueyed, KUNA
Vienna : The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) holds later on Tuesday a round-table on role of manufacturing industries in diversification of economies of Arab states.
Kamal Hussein Ahmad, a UNIDO special advisor, said the round-table discussions, due to be held on the sidelines of the organization’s 12th general conference, would address major challenges facing Arab states in their efforts to diversify their economies, in addition to the role that can be played by manufacturing as a catalyst for productivity, value added, and competitiveness.
The meeting constitutes an opportunity for the participants to exchange experience and examine benefits of UNIDO programs, launched in the Arab countries.
It is also aimed at enhancing awareness of the major role manufacturing can play in the service of economic diversification, specifying domains of technical cooperation, and boosting cooperation between Arab countries and the international agency in these fields, he said.
In response to a question about the gulf in the arena of knowledge between Arab states and great industrial nations and means to overcome obstacles that hamper the development of Arab industries, Ahmad indicated at some headways made at a number of Arab universities, research institutions, and industrial sectors.
He also praised role Arab of aid funds, namely the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in aiding developing nations.
However, he elaborated that for the sake of bridging this gap, cooperation among Arab states in the sectors of scientific research, knowledge, technology, and analysis should be boosted.
The veteran international affairs expert also criticized allocation of limited funds in Arab states for scientific research, which he said dows not sit well with their abundant resources.
The round-table debate will involve ministers, senior representatives of governments, diplomats, the Arab mission, and financial experts.
This level of talks comes on the sidelines of the 12th General Conference of UNIDO, which kicked off Monday with participation of representatives from the organization’s 172 members.
The conference addresses poverty reduction, trade capacity-building, energy, and environment. The debates focus on helping poor countries to increase their production capacity and enter international markets, and issues related to sustaining economic growth and development with as little harm as possible to the environment.
UNIDO experts say the number of people living on income below one US dollar a day increased dramatically over the past three decades, up from 125 million to well over 278 million in 39 countries.
The UN body believes industrial development is a means to fight poverty and unemployment as well as improve living standards.
The Vienna-based UNIDO was set up in 1966 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1985. As part of the UN common system, it has responsibility for promoting industrialization throughout the developing world.