Aurelia Patrizia Calabrò, an Italian national born in 1966, holds a University Degree in International Economy, and a Master Degree in Theory and Policy for Economic Development. She also has attended post-graduated course in many parts of the world and speaks 6 languages (i.e., Italian, French, English, Spanish, German and Russian) and has a basic knowledge of Amharic.
She started her career at UNIDO in May 1989 at the Agro-Industries Development Department and during almost 30 years of service, she has specialized in agro-value chains development.
In her last position as the Chief of the Agro-Industries Technology Division at UNIDO HQs, Ms. Calabrò was responsible for the technology aspects of agro-based industries in textile, leather, wood and agricultural tools for value addition and job creation. Emphasis is placed upon the design and implementation of programs to serve sustainable development needs of the agri-businesses and related industries, including environmental requirements.
She has worked in more than 30 countries worldwide, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and spent over 4 years at the UNIDO Regional Hub in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia between 2006 and 2010, as Deputy Director and Senior Industrial Development Officer in charge of agro-industries development.
She is an active member of the Program for Country Partnership in Ethiopia, covering the leather and textile components plus a number of agro value chains like coffee, moringa and cactus fruits.
Since 20 July 2018, Ms. Calabrò has been appointed as UNIDO Representative to the AU and the UNECA and Director of the Regional Hub in in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia covering Burundi, Madagascar, Rwanda and Uganda. She assumed her duties in Addis Ababa at UNIDO Regional Hub as of 1 November 2018.