General Conference, 15th session, Lima, Peru, 2 to 6 December 2013

The General Conference is the highest policymaking organ of UNIDO. Since becoming a specialized agency in 1985, UNIDO has hosted the General Conference away from its Vienna headquarters only twice: in Bangkok, Thailand (1987) and in Yaoundé, Cameroon (1993). By convening the fifteenth session of the Conference in Lima, UNIDO is again reaching out to its Member States, shifting its presence to where it is most active and also most needed – the regions themselves. The Conference will give Member States the opportunity to renew their commitment to inclusive and sustainable industrial development and to strengthen cooperation among regions, including South-South cooperation. During the Conference, Member States will underline their commitment to inclusive and sustainable industrial development in a political declaration - Lima Declaration.

In the context of the discussions about the future of international development, the Conference will highlight the role of industry in inclusive and sustainable development and the need for new partnerships. The discussions and the above-mentioned Lima Declaration will emphasize the centrality of UNIDO in the post-2015 development agenda.

Participation in the General Conference

The UNIDO General Conference will be attended by high-level delegations from all 172 Member States including Heads of State and Government, Ministers and other high-level government officials from around the world, as well as senior representatives of other United Nations organizations, and prominent leaders from the private sector, civil society and academia.

The UNIDO General Conference thus provides a unique, global and diverse platform. This mix has proven a stimulating basis for high-level and captivating debates, identifying issues and trends within the development agenda, and exploring innovative approaches and solutions, as well as underlining the fundamental role of industry for promoting growth and sustainability.

Forum on industrial development issues

Capitalizing on past experience, the fifteenth session of the Conference will incorporate both classic panel discussions and UNIDO’s interregional debates into one streamlined programme. The Industrial Development Forum will provide a platform for informed dialogue on the role of inclusive and sustainable industrial development in the achievement of broader social and economic development goals.

The Forum discussions will provide a critical catalyst for re-invigorating UNIDO’s mandate, and will place inclusive and sustainable industrial development at the centre of the post-2015 development agenda. The discussions will explore topics linked to the overall theme and the Lima Declaration, such as partnerships, industry as a Sustainable Development Goal, green industry, job creation strategies, economic diversification and women’s entrepreneurship, and will highlight the adjustments and/or new sustainable development policies that need to be considered in times of rapid change. Furthermore, they will explore industrial development in an era when learning, knowledge and connectivity are the basis of value creation and when resources are scarce, consumption patterns are high and the population is increasing. 

Date and Venue

The fifteenth session of the General Conference of UNIDO will be held from Monday, 2 December to Friday, 6 December 2013, at the Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center (Calle Las Begonias 450, Lima 27, Peru).

Information for participants

Agenda

Documents