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23 - 29 March

CONTENTS:
Ghana and UNIDO reaffirm commitment to poverty reduction
Sustainable Industrial Development in China
Technology Foresight in Russian Federation CSF to focus on Youth and SMEs
COMING SOON
OTHER INDUSTRY NEWSLETTERS
Feature Story: Ozone Friendly Industrial Development ~ UNIDO 10 Years in the Montreal Protocol
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Ghana and UNIDO reaffirm commitment to poverty reduction

Accra, Ghana, 12 - 13 March, 2003

Ghana's Minister of Trade and Industry Kori Konadu Apraku
being welcomed to UNIDO HQ by UNIDO DG Carlos Magariños
in December, 2002

In a Joint Communiqué issued by Ghana's Minister of Trade and Industry, Kofi Konadu Apraku and UNIDO Director- General Carlos Magariños, the UNIDO Director- General reaffirmed UNIDO's continued support to Ghana's efforts to become a leading agro-industrial economy in Africa and to contribute to its wealth creation and poverty reduction programme through sustainable industrialization. During his two day visit to Ghana, Director- General Magariños held talks with Ghana's President, John Agyekum Kufuor; Association of Ghana Industries President, Elizabeth Joyce Villars; several public and private sector stakeholders and heads of UN Agencies.

The Joint Communiqué confirms the principles that underpin the collaboration between Ghana and UNIDO on the industrialization front and the continued implementation of key activities in the current Ghana-UNIDO Integrated Programme. The Government of Ghana and UNIDO further agreed to explore new opportunities for collaboration.

The Director- General's visit was a follow-up to earlier missions fielded by UNIDO to Ghana to assess the implementation of the various projects and programmes under the Integrated Programme. It also follows the visit Minister of Trade and Industry Apraku undertook to UNIDO Vienna Headquarters in December, 2002, to ensure that the Integrated Programme reflected the focus, policies and programmes of the present administration and carried the support of other development partners.

The first-mentioned of the five principles underpining the Ghana- UNIDO collaboration is the "ownership of the programmes and projects by key stakeholders in the private sector and government". The others are that: Technical cooperation to the country must emphasize institutional capacity building and knowledge transfer to promote industrial competitiveness; Employment generation through Investment promotion and partnerships, particularly for the development of small and medium industries; Organization of value chains for new products through industrial agro-processing and partnerships; Promotion of sustainable industrial development through the enhancement of industrial competitiveness, clean technologies and development of national capacity for meeting international production norms and standards; committment by the Government of Ghana to invest resources in the programmes developed and in mobilizing additional resources from donors.

On-going projects and programmes under the current Integrated Programme that are mentioned in the Joint Communiqué are: Finalization, adoption and implementation of Ghana's Integrated Industrial Policy; Edition two of the Review of Industrial and Trade Performance; Quality improvements in food production; Support to private sector associations; Phase II of abatement of mercury pollution emanating from artisanal gold mining; Subcontracting and Partnership Exchange (SPX); Rural Enterprise Development Support Projects (REDS); Capacity building of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and the Ghana Free Zones Board; Investment Promotion, culminating in the organization of a major investment forum in October, 2003; and Industrial statistics (industrial census and survey).

Development of support systems for the new Presidential initiatives, in particular, the expansion of the Textile Garment Trading Centre, figure among the five areas where new opportunities will be explored. The other areas mentioned are: the Agricultural Machinery Industrial System (AMIS) project; Establishment of a Cleaner Production Centre, with particular focus on technology transfer to reduce the level of industrial pollution; Trade facilitation and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development, through quality, standardization and metrology improvements.
UNIDO Representative in Ghana: Akmel Akpa, A.Akpa@unido.org

Sustainable Industrial Development in China

Beijing, China, 26 - 27 February, 2003

UNIDO Reresentative in China, Sergio Miranda da Cruz

The challenge of sustainable development planning is both to widen and deepen the industrial development process. Widen it, by integrating social and environmental issues and deepen it, by extending its timeframe to include future generations. To meet these social and economic goals, the uptake of environmentally sound technologies has to accelerate. Enhancing the participation of industry in policy formulation and dialogue is a key factor in achieving these goals in a cost effective way. These were some of the basic points agreed upon by Chinese national experts who met together in Beijing, 26-27 February 2003, at the International Workshop on Evaluation and Adjustment of Chinas Sustainable Industrial Policies and Planning.

The Beijing meeting, hosted by the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC), signaled the end of phase one of a UNIDO project funded by the Netherlands, which started in May, 1999. The immediate objective of the project was to establish at the Department of Development Planning (DDP) of the SDPC and other government institutions, the capacity to design, formulate, implement, monitor and revise industrial policies in order to enhance the contribution of industry to sustainable development. The capacity building focused on those policies that could contribute to the Tenth Five-Year Plan for National Social and Economic Development (2001-2005).

The project, which included six study tours and 18 fellowships, consisted of four components: analytical work on industrial, employment, environment and technology policies; enhancement of sector and computable general equilibrium models; case studies for sectors (automotive, energy and cement) and for a region (Daqing); and a review of international experiences in the field of sustainable development planning for industry. Some 15 national experts and six international experts gave presentations covering the capacities developed during the four years of the project.

Phase two of the project will also be funded by the Netherlands, along with the China International Centre for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) (a division of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation MOFTEC). The follow-up phase will be concentrated on the Province of Shaanxi, which is the focus of UNIDOs Integrated Programme in Western China, as part of the Country Service Framework CSF for China.

The core issue of the project report: "how to reduce the pollution intensity of industrialization with the least impact on socio-economic development", is addressed in both the Tenth Five Year Plan and the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Section IV of the Tenth Five-Year Plan, Energetically Optimizing and Improving the Industrial Structure, lists four major thrusts for the industrial sector. The first is to increase product variety, improve product quality, save on energy, reduce waste, prevent and control pollution and increase productivity. The other three categories address technology, industrial restructuring and rehabilitation of old industrial bases. Chairman Jiang Zemins report to the Congress also acknowledges the importance of reconciling the contradictions between environment and socio- economic development.

For a copy of the workshop agenda, summary of experts reports, final reports and complete reports of experts, contact Ned Clarence-Smith: E.Clarence-Smith@unido.org.
Ned Clarence-Smith, Tel: +43 1 26026/5079, E-mail: E.Clarence-Smith@unido.org
Sergio Miranda-da-Cruz, UNIDO Representative Beijing, China: office.china@unido.org

Technology Foresight in Russian Federation CSF to focus on youth and SMEs

Vienna, Austria, 3 - 4 March, 2003

Seminar on Technology Foresight Practices and Methods for the Russian Federation, March, 2003
Director of UNIDO's Europe Bureau, Dimitri Piskounov (left) and participants

Technology Foresight is an instrument for strategic decision making and policy formulation. It can be applied at the macro and micro level, for setting research priorities, to create a shared vision of the future and identify challenges and opportunities for innovation and improved compeitiveness.

A Seminar on Technology Foresight Practices and Methods for the Russian Federation, held at UNIDO HQ, 3 - 4 March, 2003, to assist in the formulation of a Technology Foresight component of the UNIDO Country Service Framework (CSF) for the Russian Federation, included a TF Programme for Youth and a TF Programme for small and medium- sized enterprises in its recommendations. The other two main recommendations were for a Regional (sub-national) TF Programme and another programme focusing on business development.

Participants in the seminar were drawn from Russia's Ministries of Industry and Science and Technology, the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Union of Industrialists. (a full list of participants is available here for viewing or downloading). In his opening address, speaking on behalf of UNIDO Director- General Carlos Magariños, Director or UNIDO's Europe Bureau, Dimitri Piskounov, thanked the aforementioned and the British Council Office in Russia for their assistance in organizing the seminar. The Russian Federation was represented at the seminar by First Deputy Minister, Industry, Science and Technology, M. Kirpichnikov, and the Russian Academy of Sciences, by Vice-President, A. Nekipelov.

On the first day of the seminar, participants were presented with views on Technology Foresight from UK, Sweden and Austria. First, with the Government perspective on Technology Foresight in the United Kingdom, by Assistant Director of the Foresight Office of Science and Technology, Karl Cunion. Technology Foresight in Sweden was presented by Programme Manager of Swedish Technology Foresight, Lennart Luebeck. Technology Foresight in Austria was presented by Institute for Technology Assessment, Austria representative, Georg Aichholzer. Methodological Aspects of Technology Foresight in the United Kingdom - were presented by research fellow at PREST (Policy Research in Engineering, Science & Technology) Victoria University of Manchester, Maria Nedeva. Technology Foresight at the UK Sub-national Level was presented by Managing Director of RTC North Ltd., Gordon Ollivere.

The Russian perspective followed, first with a presentation on Technology Policy Formulation and Implementation by Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology by Deputy Director of the Centre for Science Research and Statistics, Alexander Sokolov. A presentation on the Promotion of Science for Development, by Russian Academy of Sciences Academician, Victor Ivanter, followed. The first day of the seminar finished with panel discussions.

The second day of the seminar began with a presentation on Technology Foresight in the Regional Dimension, by Ambassador Dr. György Bánlaki, followed by a presentation of UNIDO Technology Foresight Initiatives, by UNIDO's TF specialists Ricardo Seidl da Fonseca and Toshiyuki Miyake. The UNIDO presentation was followed by a workshop on the Design of Technology Foresight Programmes for the Russian Federation, moderated by PREST's Dr. Nedeva. The Seminar concluded with bilateral consultations on TF initiative and the Country Service Framework for the Russian Federation.

Upcoming events on Technology Foresight: March, 27 -29, Budapest, Hungary: 2003 2003 Foresight Summit Budapest; April, 2003, Bogota, Colombia: Workshop on Methodologies and Recent Practices on Technology Foresight, October 6 - 10, 2003, Prague, Czech Republic: Training on TF Methodologies, November 2003, Turkey: Training on Organizing Technology Foresight Programmes.
Toshiyuki Miyake, Tel: +43 1 26026/3735, E-mail: T.Miyake@unido.org

COMING SOON

The 2003 Technology Foresight Summit: Budapest, Hungary, 27 - 29 March, 2003. The Summit has four components:

Fair of the Future, where chief executive officers (CEOs) and industrial decision makers from the field of biotechnology will present their visions on the industry-led future trends and perspectives and their views on the technology development of their respective industries.
Technology foresight panels, presenting best practices in developing and applying technology foresight for strategic decision-making and will serve as a platform for building common visions to face future challenges and opportunities for strategic industrial production chains in the region.
Biotechnology prospective forum, which addresses the highlight area of the Summit 2003, aims to help governmental and industrial decision makers to acquire an overview of future challenges and opportunities, and promotes interactivity among key biotechnology players with a view to shaping their future in the context of the Central and Eastern European region.
Ministerial round table will bring together top governmental decision-makers dealing with technology to discuss the impact of the European Union enlargement and integration process on the local industry from the perspective of pre-accession and candidate countries. Special attention will be given to the future of the automotive and agro-food industries in the region.

The 2nd International Subcontracting Exhibition: Le deuxième Salon International de Sous-Traitance - Istanbul, Turquie: CNR Expo Centre, Istanbul, Turkey, 8th -11th MAY 2003, organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the Subcontracting Exchange and UNIDO. As proved in 2001, when a very successful fair attracted more 160 companies and 5100 professional visitors, the 2nd International Subcontracting exhibition is the ideal environment for the building of partnerships between industrial investors and local subcontractors. SUBCONIST 2003 gathers into one place a large number of specialized local suppliers arranged by sectors. more details in English and French.

more coming events

OTHER INDUSTRY NEWSLETTERS

BINAS ONLINE is UNIDO's Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service that monitors global developments in biotechnology regulatory issues. Get the latest issue from the BINAS site		The World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO's) SME e-journal takes a close look at intellectual property (IP) from the perspective of SMEs and the possibilities offered by the IP system for improving their performance view or subscribe to WIPO's *SME e-journal*

The International Centre for the Advancement of Manufacturing Technology, ICAMT is one of the International Technology Centres (ITCs) established by UNIDO with cooperation of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. View or download the latest issue of the ICAMT e-journal Advancement of Manufacturing Technology		Partners: The Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) monthly newsletter. GKP is a "network of networks" with a diverse membership base comprising public, private and not-for profit organizations from both developed and developing countries. The Partnership was born as a result of the 1997 Global Knowledge Conference in Canada, hosted by the World Bank and the Government of Canada. You can view and subscribe to Partners.
WAITRONEWS from the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations. WAITRO provides a voice for technological research and development, a global clearing-house for technological information, and an agency for promoting co-operation between research establishments from developed and developing countries. View or download WAITRONEWS		EBDSN Newsletter: This newsletter is on the website of the Ethiopian Business Development Services Network, part of the GTZ-MSE and UNIDO programme for the promotion and development of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) in Ethiopia. It is a focal point for institutions and organizations (national and international) related to the development of MSEs in Ethiopia.