Vienna, 5 October 2023 - The Secretariat of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) held the Development Dialogue on Digital Transformation. The event convened the Permanent Missions of over 30 countries on-site and over 50 countries including virtual participation. The Development Dialogue was moderated by Mr. Ciyong Zou, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development.

During the course of the nineteenth session of the General Conference held in 2021, substantive discussions centred around the draft elements of UNIDO's strategic framework for the fourth industrial revolution. In an effort to delve deeper into these vital topics, UNIDO organized a series of regional workshops on digital transformation throughout 2022 and 2023, in close collaboration with the Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology.

Drawing upon insights gathered from extensive consultations with Member States, in addition to an analysis of global trends and recent developments within the United Nations system, UNIDO developed a preliminary draft Operational Strategy for Digital Transformation. During the Development Dialogue, Mr. Marco Kamiya, Chief of Digital Transformation and AI Strategy Division, delivered the presentation on the UNIDO Operation Strategy for Digital Transformation, providing Member States with UNIDO’s initiatives and concrete actions on the field and a clear roadmap for the strategy's future development.

Delegations from member states contributed to the statements and vibrant discussions, enabling the exchange of diverse perspectives. The draft Operational Strategy will be presented to Member States during the upcoming twentieth session of the General Conference, scheduled to be held from 27 November to 1 December 2023. Permanent Missions played a pivotal role in facilitating participation in the Dialogue by consulting with relevant government stakeholders and national experts within their respective countries.

The engagement and commitment demonstrated by all participants have contributed significantly to the success of this event. The Secretariat expresses its gratitude to all those who actively engaged in the Development Dialogue and looks forward to further collaboration as UNIDO continues to advance its Operational Strategy for Digital Transformation on the global stage.

For more information on UNIDO’s engagement in Digital Transformation, please visit: https://aim.unido.org/