Vienna, Nov 27 – The fifty-second session of the UNIDO Industrial Development Board (IDB) has come to a successful conclusion, having prepared also the road towards the landmark 21st UNIDO General Conference to take place in Riyadh in November 2025.

The IDB is a central policy-making organ for the Organization, comprised of representatives from 53 Member States, presided over by Ambassador Gabriela Sellner of Austria. It oversees UNIDO‘s work programme implementation, regular and operational budgets, and makes recommendations to the General Council.

Reflecting on the conclusions of the IDB negotiations, UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller thanked the IDB members for having found new solutions to continuing to strengthen the financial situation of the Organization and for the mobilization of financial resources for the future, moreover for their recognition that UNIDO‘s position needs to be strengthened in order to best deliver maximum impact for its Member States with its expertise and global network.

Additionally, a number of other decisions were adopted which set the framework for UNIDO‘s ongoing efforts for sustainable economic and industrial development. These include increased engagement in middle-income countries, and particular in Latin America and the Caribbean. Also on strengthening UNIDO‘s role in agro-industrialization and food security, one of the Organization‘s top priorities.

IDB 52 was accompanied by an event in cooperation with the European Union on Advancing Circular Economy through EU-UNIDO Partnership. The global transition to circular economies is a priority shared by both the EU and UNIDO, and the event showcased both the urgency and the feasibility of circular economies via concrete results achieved across regions through a number of EU-funded programmes being implemented by UNIDO.