On 15 November 2023, Omar Paganini, Uruguay''s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Manuel Albaladejo, UNIDO's representative in Uruguay, signed an extension of the agreement by which the Government of Uruguay commits to co-finance UNIDO's regional office for the period 2023-2028. This is an important milestone for UNIDO as it shows the Government's continued support for and trust in the Organization's mandate and impact through its sub-regional office.

Omar Paganini, a trained engineer and former Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, has been UNIDO's focal point since the new administration took office in March 2020. He has been acting as chair of the strategic committee of UNIDO's Renewable Energy Innovation Fund (REIF), a Joint SDG funded programme that supports Uruguay's second energy transition. He is a strong advocate of green hydrogen, which he will continue promoting in his new capacity. Paganini has also played a decisive role in UNIDO securing Global Environment Facility funding to implement the Global Clean Tech Innovation programme (GCIP). 

UNIDO's sub-regional office is currently located in the LATU Technological Park, sharing a dynamic ecosystem with technology firms, technical universities, the Centre of Industrial Automation and Mechatronics (a government-funded UNIDO-implemented project), the Chamber of Industries and several other government agencies.

In the words of UNIDO's representative Manuel Albaladejo, "The extension of this agreement for the co-financing of our office in LATU shows that the Government of Uruguay not only trusts UNIDO as a solid partner to promote green industrial transitions, but also agrees that its current location in a technology park creates synergies with the private sector. This is key in addressing SDG9, particularly in the context of a high-income country like Uruguay."