UNIDO and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

By Borbala Csete and Andrea Eras Almeida

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Eastern Caribbean island nation, famed for its beautiful landscapes, pristine white-sand beaches and temperate climate, attracted around a million tourists each year. But with travel restrictions across the globe, tourism all but dried up, and the country’s economy has seen a dramatic downturn. It is estimated that, by the end of 2020, GDP had contracted by 18%, primarily due to a 71% decline in long-stay arrivals over the year.

In these times of instability, the Barbadian government is accelerating its efforts to diversify the economy and rebuild a more sustainable and resilient one. Apart from renewed activity in traditional sectors, the country aims to tap into the new value chains of the emerging global green and blue economy. Barbados not only has ambitious plans to become the first carbon-free small island developing state by 2030, but also intends to become an export leader of cleantech products and services to the Caribbean and beyond.

Cleantech for more resilience

In this context, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is supporting the Government of Barbados with the establishment of BLOOM, the Caribbean’s first cleantech cluster. Created as public-private partnership, the cluster provides shared resources and services, as well as a makerspace for companies and academia to work on joint projects, solutions and marketing. The cluster is hosted by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), under the supervision of the Ministry of International Business and Industry.

Mark Hill, CEO of BIDC, said, “Cleantech is part of our “Design It, Make It, Ship It” export and business development strategy, which aims to foster the design of feasible, viable and desirable Barbadian products and services that are well-produced, sustainable and globally competitive, and can be physically shipped or virtually exported across the globe. With the BLOOM cluster we have an important tool to promote local cleantech entrepreneurship and innovation.”

“We can build on the success of the Barbadian solar-thermal industry, which has its origins in the 1970s. Solar thermal water heating reaches over 55,000 consumers today, saving thousands of barrels of oil and CO2 emissions each year. Under the common BLOOM label, we will upgrade existing industry and create new ones, tapping into new technologies and business models, including electric mobility, battery storage, green hydrogen, ocean energy, efficient appliances, waste recycling, bioenergy and the circular economy,” he adds. 

The cluster’s sustainable, responsible and impactful approach to export development embraces the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a bedrock for developing Barbadian businesses.

“The days of business-as-usual are over. We’re doing business unusual,” concludes Hill.

Matching businesses, science and beyond

Jari Aaltonen, manager of BLOOM, explains, “The BLOOM cleantech cluster is still a relatively new player in Barbados’ innovation ecosystem as it was launched in 2020 in the midst of a deep economic crisis. As of now, the cluster has 20 members including start-ups, government agencies, chambers and universities.”

“Working with young start-ups and new business development projects has great economic and job creation potential,” says Aaltonen. At the moment, the cleantech incubator is established with 10 incubatees, whose business models and business plans are under development in cooperation with the cleantech cluster members.

The cluster has engaged young cleantech entrepreneurs from the University of West Indies for the incubation programme, offering them high-quality training, individual coaching and mentoring provided by local experts and partly by international training institutions like Coursera and the International Labour Organization. “This combination is the key for accelerated learning,” Aaltonen says.

“The cluster is working at all levels: local, national, regional and global. The country’s first cleantech incubator was established with four experts, which has nearly doubled to seven since, in line with growing demand. The team is working very closely with their start-ups in their first two years, to help them validate their business idea and business model, secure financing, start product development and get their first few clients. Building new skills and capacities is key for the success of any start-up, and, therefore, there is a sharp focus and a lot of attention on organizing online training courses that are compact, innovative, and pragmatic at the same time.

Since 2019, a close cooperation has been established with the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre and the International Association of Science Parks to boost strategic partnerships between local and international businesses.

Standing out from the crowd: women and youth cleantech entrepreneur

One such organization is CEMBI (Caribbean Environmental Management Bureau), a non-governmental organization which has launched the BitEgreen Market web platform and app to increase the use of recycled materials.

CEO Simera Crawford explains that the BitEgreen app is “a solution that offers value to the community at large through the preservation of the environment for present and future generations.

“I live by a purpose which is to preserve the well-being of nature for present and future generations. I have the training and abilities to do something about it,” she adds.

Crawford also acknowledges that “building a team to foster high performance implementation of a very extensive business idea and finding assistance in marketing and communications is a challenge.” UNIDO’s programme is designed to help alleviate these concerns until the growth of the business diminishes them.

Empowering women and youth

As of now, there are ten start-ups in the incubation programme, and 60% of the entrepreneurs are women. Close to two-thirds of the clients have managed to raise financing through grants and/or loans.

Kerri-Ann Bovell is part of the cleantech cluster with her business EcoMycö, which seeks to replace traditional fossil fuel-based packaging, such as Styrofoam and high-density and low-density polyethylene, with a bio-based and biodegradable alternative. She incorporates local plant matter as the raw materials for the bioplastic films she has created so far.

“I feel like I am at the starting point of a successful journey. Thanks to the support from the incubator, I have already learned to think more critically and have gained a much better understanding of what it takes to start and grow a successful business.”

For Bovell, pushing a bio-material business ahead implies “contributing to both our Barbadian and Caribbean economies, possibly even the international community, in a manner that results in little-to-no negative environmental impacts.”

And for those who are interested in working in this field, Bovell advises “be prepared to not only work hard but work smart as well. Also, utilize the resources provided for you as much as possible.”

Pilot for global replication

The GEF-funded project in Barbados is a pilot for the Global BLOOM programme promoted by UNIDO, within the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres (GN-SEC), which assists developing countries in the establishment of cleantech clusters as part of their energy, environment and industrialization policies.

According to Martin Lugmayr, UNIDO Global BLOOM Coordinator, “Clustering is an important tool to incentivise the private sector to strategically engage in the expanding value chains of global cleantech manufacturing and servicing. A sustainable and inclusive climate transition requires the strengthening of local entrepreneurship and innovation, also in lower and lower-middle income countries. Ultimately, it is about local jobs and environmental sustainability.”

“In the past, cleantech clustering has been predominantly a domain of industrialized and emerging countries. However, there is also a critical mass of young entrepreneurs and scientists in developing countries who are keen to work together in a collaborative platform, benefitting from joint resources, intelligence and support for incubation and industrial upgrading,” he adds.

More information about the UNIDO project is available here.

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Main image: Joao Maximo

by Leisa Burrell

Endowed with picturesque beaches, rainforests and coral reefs that attract tourists from around the world, São Tomé and Príncipe is a small island country, located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western coast of Central Africa. Its small size, distance from large markets and lack of diversity in its economic sectors mean the country faces a number of challenges. Like many other small island developing states (SIDS), the country is also dealing with the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international travel has temporarily brought São Tomé and Príncipe’s thriving tourism industry to a standstill. The country’s authorities have moved to protect their population from the spread of the coronavirus, implementing social distancing rules, amongst other measures. Reduced maritime activity has led to an interruption of international supply chains, which are vital for the export of the country’s cacao and coffee and for the import of manufactured products.

Whilst the priority for many countries, including São Tomé and Príncipe, will be to prevent the spread of the virus and to protect livelihoods into the foreseeable future, many commentators are already calling for countries to “build back better,” once the pandemic has passed. Specifically, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has proposed a number of climate-related actions to shape countries’ recovery from the pandemic and to help them to address climate change.

In this vein, green stimulus packages that include strong renewable energy and energy efficiency components have garnered attention as viable options to help countries to meet social, economic and environmental objectives, once the worst of the pandemic has passed.

Arguably, São Tomé and Príncipe already set these foundations a number of years ago when the country developed its 2030 vision: “São Tomé e Príncipe 2030: the country we need to build," which places a strong emphasis on integrating renewable energy and energy efficiency into its energy mix, and moving the country away from its dependence on imported diesel for power generation and transport.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has been working in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Public Works, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment (MOPIRNA) to help the small island country to implement a project to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency investments in the electricity sector.

The project is being implemented by UNIDO in close collaboration with its partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the African Development Bank. With work starting in 2019 and set to end in 2023, the partners are helping São Tomé and Príncipe to realize its 2030 vision, working to transform the country into a climate-resilient and vibrant island hub for blue economy businesses, financial services and tourism.

“Despite the vast potential to apply renewable energy on the island, the starting point for the UNIDO project is challenging, as the country’s experience with renewable energy is limited to outdated or non-functional colonial small-hydro power stations,” said Martin Lugmayr, a sustainable energy expert at UNIDO.

Gabriel Makengo, National Project Coordinator, Directorate for Natural Resources and Energy at MOPIRNA, explained, “Currently, there exists no national energy policy covering the entire sector and interrelated cross-sectors. The sustainable energy product and service market uptake is hindered by multiple barriers, including a lack of policy and regulation, institutional capacity, knowledge and awareness, amongst others.”

To develop a holistic sustainable energy vision, UNIDO is also supporting the Ministry in the development of National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Action Plans. The plans will include quantifiable and feasible overall targets and sub-targets (by sector, thematic area and/or technology) by 2030 and 2050.

A set of concrete and attainable policy actions with clear responsibilities and costs will also be proposed. The plans will complement and enlarge the scope of the recently developed Least-Cost Power Development Plan, which includes a 50% utility-scale renewable energy scenario.

“No one knows how the pandemic will play out around the world or how it will eventually affect São Tomé and Príncipe in the long-term. But with UNIDO’s project, we are supporting the country to become more resilient in the face of emergencies, such as climate change and COVID-19. Through increasing the country’s share of renewables and energy efficiency, the work that we are doing will help to free up scarce hard currency that can be put to other uses, such as for the country’s socio-economic development, climate change adaptation and health care,” said Lugmayr.

UNIDO is providing its support in line with its Strategy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and its leading role in the implementation of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa. The shift towards sustainable energy futures is playing an important role in making industrial sectors more inclusive, resilient, productive and competitive.

For further information, contact:

Martin Lugmayr, Project Manager, Department of Energy, UNIDO

Email

Gabriel Makengo, National Project Coordinator, Directorate for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Public Works, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment, São Tomé

Email

More information about the project is available here.

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Marine plastic pollution, commonly referred to as marine plastic litter, is a major global environmental problem. Marine plastic litter harms marine species through ingestion and entanglement, violates the integrity of ecosystems, inhibits growth of marine plants, accumulates and transports pathogens that may cause disease and injuries to marine animals, plants and humans, and partly ends up in the food chain. Moreover, it causes economic losses due to reduced fishery yields, declining amenity for tourism, and damage to shipping and related infrastructure.

Some of the plastic in the oceans comes from fisheries, aquaculture, nautical activities and illegal dumping in the sea, but around 80% of the total comes from the land. Land-based plastic pollution is caused primarily by inappropriate management of waste of plastic packaging and short-lived products originating from various consumer products in numerous sectors. These consist for example of plastic bags; single and multilayer food and beverage containers; cleaning and personal care product containers; food wrapping and trays; plastic foil; single-use cutlery; cups; synthetic textiles and clothing; plastic footwear; and so on. Wind and rain carry this litter into streams and rivers, and then into the oceans.

Nowhere to throw it

Better management of plastic litter on land would clearly reduce the amount of plastic litter entering the oceans, but that doesn’t address the issue of what to do with the overwhelming amounts of plastic waste generated in the first place. There is nowhere to throw it all away.

One way to approach the challenge is by transitioning to a circular economy, where the crucial concept is the designing out of waste. The key to the success of the circular economy approach is to focus on the design stage, rather than trying to deal with waste at the end of the product’s life.

In the case of plastic, the idea is to change practices and encourage innovation so that we use less plastic; design plastic products in ways so that they can be reused; develop the technologies allow more effective and efficient reprocessing of used plastic; and devise and use safer alternatives to traditional plastics.

Plastic packaging, synthetic textiles and clothing, and short-lived, fast-moving consumer and institutional products made of plastics contribute significantly to the generation of marine plastic litter. There is hardly any global, regional, national report or research study on marine plastic litter that does not point out the contribution of packaging, single-use or short-lived consumer products, personal care products containing microbeads, synthetic clothing and microfibers, and fishing gear lost at sea.

At the design stage

The rapid, flowing nature of plastic packaging and short-lived plastic consumer products which become waste needs to be addressed by the consumers of plastic packaging, namely industries such as manufacturers of food and beverage producers, shoes, textiles and garments, as well as the manufacturers of short-lived consumer products. This is best done at the design phase within the value chain, through collaboration with the plastic producers and the converters, the companies which manufacture plastic products, ranging from toothbrushes to building pipes, from fruit boxes to car interiors.

In the product design stage, the following might be considered: a) scrutinizing the necessity of packaging altogether, including of plastics, b) selection of renewable, bio-degradable and compostable materials and additives that are not toxic or that are less toxic than fossil-based plastics; c) designing for less material use in order to decrease waste; d) designing packaging and products that use a single or small number of polymers that are easy to separate during recycling.

Policy measures to incentivize circular economy practices in design could consist of supporting implementation of innovations in the re-design of existing products and the design of new products, and supporting innovations and start-ups, in particular those related to new, biodegradable and compostable plastics.

The above was originally published in UNIDO's Making It magazine and draws on a working paper, ‘Addressing the challenge of marine plastic litter using circular economy methods’, published by UNIDO in April 2019. The working paper was prepared for the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June 2019, which  identified stemming marine plastic litter as one of its priorities. 

Persistent Organic Pollutants, known as POPs, are toxic, long-lasting and accumulative chemicals proven to have an adverse effect on human health and the environment across the globe. Exposure to even low levels of these chemicals in food or the air can lead to increased cancer risk, reproductive disorders, alteration of the immune system and increased birth defects.

The most commonly encountered POPs are organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT, industrial chemicals, most notably polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), as well as unintentional by-products of many industrial processes, such as those commonly known as 'dioxins'.

Several countries of the Caribbean are Parties to the Stockholm Convention on POPs and have pledged to reduce or eliminate their production, use, and/or release. However, very little action has been taken at the national level to implement or comply with the Convention. A lack of resources, weak institutional capacity, and inadequate regulatory frameworks are recognized as some of the contributing factors to the limited POPs management in the region.

“Given our small size, the fragility of our ecosystems and our economies of scale, in the Caribbean region we are particularly vulnerable to the human health and environmental implications associated with poor chemicals and hazardous waste management,” says Jewel Batchasingh, interim Director of the Basel Convention Regional Centre for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean).

A regional project developed by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) addresses some of these barriers and is helping to achieve sound chemicals management.

“This project is the first of its kind in this part of the world,” explains UNIDO project manager, Alfredo Cueva. “Its regional approach will enable collaboration and resource-sharing between the eight participating countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Republic of Suriname.”

Since its inception in December 2015, the project, which is valued at approximately USD 30 million and co-funded by a grant of over 8 million USD from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has been taking steps to create an enabling environment to reduce and eliminate the threats of POPs in the region. Planned to run until 30 November 2020, the project is implemented by UNIDO and executed by BCRC-Caribbean.

What has the project achieved so far?

“What has been important under this project is the improvement of knowledge for managing chemicals such as POPs,” states Ato Lewis, from Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of Environment. “The key is conducting rapid assessments,” he explains.

To date, five of the eight participating countries have updated their Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plans, and regulatory frameworks to effectively manage chemicals (including POPs) and POPs inventories have been developed in all participating countries. A Regional Manual on the Development of POPs Inventories in the Caribbean has been published, and training on sound chemicals management conducted in eight countries between January and February 2017.

Marcus Natta of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards  describes this support as “timely” for many of the countries, including Saint Kitts and Nevis, which has been a party to the Stockholm Convention since 2004 and has since faced several challenges in meeting its requirements.

Keima Gardiner from Trinidad and Tobago’s Environmental Policy and Planning Division echoed this sense of appreciation. “Under the project we have been able to get tangible outputs, such as the POPs inventory reports and the update of our National Implementation Plan. The project outcomes will undoubtedly support policy development toward the protection of human health and environment against POPs.”

A regional database for chemicals data and information is being developed, as well as communication strategies, training and awareness programmes for POPs and POPs management for the Caribbean.

Through creating national and regional enabling mechanisms, the project aims to contribute to the effective implementation of the Stockholm Convention. This Convention, effective since 2004, aims to protect human health and the environment from POPs, providing a global response to a global problem. Given their long range transport, no one government acting alone can protect its citizens or its environment from POPs.

The project will also reduce unintentionally produced POPs (UPOPs) emissions by improving poor waste management practices at landfills. These practices will be improved in five of the project countries, whilst waste recycling and disposal facilities, including landfills, will be designed for three of the countries, to reduce UPOPs emissions. The anticipated health benefits of this for the local communities are significant.

Two demonstration projects implemented by UNIDO in Belize and Suriname address the reduction of UPOPs.  In Belize, a medical waste plan and medical waste regulations have been drafted to help avoid the improper disposal of medical waste. Meanwhile, in Suriname, the closure of the existing landfill in Ornamibo and the development of a sustainable and integrated waste management system have been identified as ways of measurably reducing UPOPs releases. A third demonstration project looks at the development of appropriate remediation strategies for a POPs-contaminated site: the Guanapo landfill in Trinidad and Tobago.

Identifying and remediating contaminated sites is one of the project’s key outcomes, with assessments of potential contaminated sites ongoing in all eight countries.  Sites will be prioritized in each country and conceptual site models will be developed for priority sites, based on the assessment and identification of areas of concern. 

The establishment of environmentally sound management of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is a further area of focus, with assessments of obsolete stockpiles conducted in several of the countries. Through sampling and analysis, PCB-containing equipment and PCB oil was identified and flagged for disposal in the first quarter of 2019.

“This project not only allows countries to meet their obligations under the Stockholm Convention, but also positions participating countries to move the waste and chemicals management agenda forward for the Caribbean region,” said the BCRC-Caribbean’s Batchasingh.

For further information, please see:

BCRC-Caribbean Website: http://www.bcrc-caribbean.org/

Stockholm Convention website: http://www.pops.int/Home/tabid/2121/Default.aspx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Basel.Convention.Regional.Centre.Caribbean/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bcrc_caribbean

Instagram: BCRC.CARIBBEAN  

Image Credits: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/ 

中文版

"I believe in horses," said the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, in 1905. "Automobiles are a passing phenomenon."

When they were first launched, few people could imagine that automobiles would affect human life to the extent that they did. But contrary to what Kaiser Willhelm thought, automobiles turned out to be much more than just faster horses. Their adoption became a force that reshaped cities and gave rise to urban sprawl.

Today, not unlike the early 1900s, mobility is drastically changing. The electrification of transport will dramatically affect how energy is consumed and supplied. Given the right incentives, the shift to electric vehicles can add traction to the evolution towards cleaner, more decentralized and smart energy systems and services, making the sector a major driver in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. But this will only be true if the electricity that vehicles use is not generated by the burning of fossil fuels.

Many countries already have large fleets of electric vehicles. In Norway, for example, they make up half of the automobile market. China is also taking large steps in the same direction: the country adds 9,500 new electric buses to the streets every five weeks, the equivalent to the entire London bus fleet. One of its cities, Shenzhen, has an entire fleet of more than 16,000 electric buses.

But while the electrification of transport gains traction in some countries, several barriers still keep the technology from being widely adopted in others. Batteries, for example, are still too expensive and their price keeps markets from achieving economies of scale. The lack of charging stations presents another problem, since consumers fear how long they can travel before batteries run out of charge.

Acknowledging this scenario, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is working to develop a market for electric vehicles in several countries by overcoming the barriers to their adoption as well as ensuring that they are powered by renewable energy sources. The approach is meant help markets reach economies of scale, guaranteeing that they enjoy both the economic and environmental benefits that can originate from the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Those include decreased air pollution and carbon emissions, but also the creation of green jobs and the development of homegrown, innovative technologies and business models.

“Innovations in battery and charging technologies are key to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and decarbonize the sector,” said Rana Ghoneim, Chief of UNIDO’s Energy Systems and Infrastructure Division. “Car manufacturers are investing in new solutions which drive the cost of electric vehicles down, making the greener choice more affordable for the end-users,” she added.

With a target of having ten percent of its fleet be composed of electric vehicles by 2020, Malaysia is concerned with the reduction of its greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNIDO are working together with the country to promote the use of solar energy in charging stations. One of the main goals of the intervention is to develop the country’s capacity to manufacture parts of electric vehicles. The adoption of charging stations powered by renewable energy sources is also expected to include Malaysia in the global chain of battery producers, as well as benefit the existing manufacturers of semiconductors and solar photovoltaic panels in the country by increasing the demand for their products.

South Africa is also working to develop low-carbon transportation. With funding from the GEF and technical assistance from UNIDO, the country developed a policy framework to regulate and encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in the cities of Durban and Johannesburg, where particular attention was paid to the public transport system. The goal was to prove to other municipalities and the private sector that the technology is not only positive for the environment, but also economically and technically viable. Solar-powered charging stations were designed, installed and tested, in partnership with the local private sector in order to demonstrate the technology’s viability.

China is the country with world’s fastest growing use of electric vehicles, and it plans to make sure they are powered by sustainable energy sources. With funding from the GEF and with UNIDO’s technical assistance, different renewable energy technologies will be implemented in charging stations in the cities of Shanghai and Yancheng. The plan is to evaluate which of them offer the best results and should be replicated throughout the country. An extensive study is also being undertaken in order to identify which policies could be implemented to encourage their adoption.

“Public-private partnerships at the city level are essential to boost electric mobility. This is why we are piloting innovative business models which deploy charging infrastructure powered by renewable energy sources,” said Ghoneim.

“Being an entrepreneur is a big task. If you want to start a business, it's essential to learn the necessary skills that underpin these qualities”, says Rui Jorge, a 21-year-old graduate from the Suzete Delgado secondary school, where, alongside other traditional disciplines, entrepreneurship is included as an integral part of the curriculum.

Jorge is one of 3,500 beneficiaries of the Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme developed in Cabo Verde by UNIDO. It gives pupils the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to start and run a business. The programme began in 2013 and is now implemented in 42 schools across the archipelago of ten islands off the west coast of Africa.

Straight after graduating from the school, Jorge followed his entrepreneurial dream and together with his brother, who had learnt to produce essential oils and extracts for perfumes, developed a start-up venture specialized in hand-made botanical skincare products and perfumes. Today, they already have an important local supermarket selling their products.

The Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme combines theory and practice, emphasizing a hands-on approach to learning activities such as marketing a product in a school community; learning from local entrepreneurs through school visits; and preparing business venture plans.

Mario Fernandes, the head teacher of Conde Jacinto, one of the schools taking part, said, “After we introduced this programme, we noticed that the pupils’ attitudes changed. They began to be more pro-active in the classroom and they became more ambitious. Even in their personal lives they began to be more organized and they began to see opportunities in areas they previously thought were difficult to deal with. They realized that, with the right attitudes, these things could actually become easier.”

The programme is backed by a range of sponsors from the public and private sectors,  and is tailored to the national context. Topics include entrepreneurship in the context of the country, business ethics and innovation.

Denise Santos, CEO of the Bank Caixa Economica, one of Cabo Verde’s leading banks and one of the programme backers, praises the partnership concluded in order to boost entrepreneurship and develop the country’s private sector. “Our bank, through this partnership, has been supporting the teaching and learning, and facilitating graduates’ access to financial services”.

Another programme graduate, Paulo Jorge Gomes, launched a business of buying and selling fish between the islands of Cabo Verde. He says the ECP gave him “new competencies and skills, such as learning to reflect before doing anything, planning, setting goals and priorities”.

Since he started his project, he says persistence has been his watchword. 

“The entrepreneurship programme helped me develop this business idea, and because of it, I managed to get financing from the Ministry of Youth to found my first venture. This made me feel like a young person who is preparing for a better future.”

Anabela Dinis, a professor at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal, carried out an independent impact study based on the feedback from students, parents, and teachers from 12 of the schools implementing the programme.

Her assessment is that students who attended the Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme have “improved their entrepreneurial skills and intentions compared with those who did not attend the course. Parents have noted positive changes in their children's attitudes, not only in terms of their future perspectives, but also in their communication abilities, and in their capacity to take ownership of their lives and careers. Teachers unanimously note that the programme encourages teamwork, helps students elaborate business plans, and sparks new talents and entrepreneurial skills. “

UNIDO’s Entrepreneurship Curriculum Programme (ECP) is helping build an entrepreneurial ecosystem in a total of 12 countries, so far.

Text by Paulo Sales
Edited by Daniel Chang