Beijing, 23 July 2008 - The UNIDO Centre for South-South Industrial Cooperation (UCSSIC) was officially opened on 23 July 2008 in Beijing, China. Ms. Qiu Hong, Assistant Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Wilfried Luetkenhorst, Chief of Cabinet and Director of the Bureau for Organizational Strategy and Learning, UNIDO, attended the ceremony. From left to right: Mr. Sajjad Ajmal, UNIDO Representative, Ms. Fatou Haidara, Director Special Programmes Group and Ms. Qui Hong, Chinese Assistant Minister of Commerce.
The UCSSIC has been set up for the promotion of South-South cooperation in the field of industrial development. UNIDO believes that the essence of South-South cooperation is the effective utilisation of the wealth of knowledge and capacity in the South. When this is systematically mobilized and shared, it can facilitate and accelerate the gainful participation of developing countries in the global economy. A similar centre has been opened in India and others are planned.
These centres will act as platforms for facilitating investment and manufacturing trade partnerships among developing countries. They will thereby enhance the dissemination of valuable development experiences and technological progress gained in China and other industrially more developed countries.
According to Mr. Tan Weiwen, Director of UCSSIC, some immediate priorities of UCSSIC include application of new and renewable energy and development of agro-industry projects.