BANGKOK, 30 August 2022 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) presented its Industrial Development Report (IDR) 2022: The future of industrialization in a post-pandemic world at a side event of the Fourth Session of the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation (CICTSTI) held by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

“We must work together to solve the challenges that countries in Asia and the Pacific are facing as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic”, said UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller in his pre-recorded opening remarks. “These challenges are not small. But they can be solved. In global cooperation and solidarity, and in global responsibility.Our partner ESCAP is an essential platform to advance an inclusive and sustainable industrial recovery in the region”.

The IDR 2022 analyzes the heterogeneous impact of the crisis both globally and in Asia - where there are important differences at the country, industry and firm level - and identifies factors of resilience.

“Asia is well positioned, both in terms of industrial capabilities and digitalization; but there is still a huge gap to cover”, said Nobuya Haraguchi, Chief of UNIDO’s Industrial Policy Research Unit, during his introduction of the report’s main findings.

A panel of high-level policymakers and prominent experts from several Asian countries discussed and supported these findings.

“The IDR has identified digitalization, industrial greening and the global power shift towards Asia as the megatrends that will influence industrial development in the postpandemic future”, said Rafaelita Aldaba, Undersecretary at the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry. “The IDR’s forward looking insights are very important towards shaping industrial policies to be more inclusive and sustainable”.

“The report has rightly captured the importance of being well prepared to face even unknown situations, especially in terms of the sectorial composition of the economy”, said Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General at India’s Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). “It has become extremely evident and relevant that the manufacturing sector is linked to socioeconomic resilience”.

Eng Netra, Executive Director of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), emphasized the role of digitalization in fostering resilience: “Promoting digital skills and preparation for new technologies is the way to move forward to support workers in labour-intensive industries”.

Thereafter, Dato' Gan Tack Kong, Vice-President of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, reiterated the importance of accelerating digital strategies in coordination with the private sector: “Due to COVID-19, companies have developed a sense of urgency to adapt to the new normal and to respond to rapid market demands”.

“To develop industrial and digital capabilities, it is necessary to think of new industrial policies”, said Stein Hansen, Regional Director and UNIDO Representative, in his closing remarks. “This is a major task for developing countries around the world which UNIDO, in a stronger collaboration with ESCAP, stands ready to support: I hope that we can continue to join forces to face the new challenges of the region to build back better from the pandemic”.

The full recording of the event is available here. 

The UNIDO Industrial Development Report series is an established source of reference on industrial development. The IDR 2022 is available here.

The full recording of the event is available here.

For more information, please contact:

Alejandro Lavopa

UNIDO Research and Industrial Policy Officer

Email