Emerging industrial technologies are shaping the future of global economic development, transforming current business models, combining the physical, digital and biological worlds under the New Industrial Revolution.

However, important questions remain about further implications for existing industries, value chains, business models, and workforces, and about the type of actions governments and business leaders need to take to ensure the long-term success of advanced manufacturing.

“UNIDO assists countries – in particular developing countries – in achieving equitable economic growth without harmful effects to the environment,” says LI Yong, the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

“We have demonstrated that the creation of industries and increase in employment can go hand-in-hand with the reduction of resource use and pollution. By taking full advantage of such cross-cutting issues as industrial parks; sustainable cities; the circular economy; Industry 4.0; as well as the bio-economy, we can effectively support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Since 1978, UNIDO has been providing direct assistance to many developing countries in support of establishing industrial estates, and has published guidelines and specifications for the construction of small-scale industry estates. It continues offering technical assistance, policy advice, investment promotion, standards development, and training activities.

Dejene Tezera, Director of UNIDO’s Department of Agribusiness Development, says that “The establishment and management of industrial parks involve a range of technical, economic, and policy aspects. Through its multidisciplinary staff and wide network of outside experts, UNIDO offers an integrated approach for the successful development of industrial parks.”

The development of industrial parks is at the centre of UNIDO’s flagship initiative -- the Programme for Country Partnership, which assists Member States in achieving inclusive and sustainable industrial development and SDG9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure. This programme is currently being implemented in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Peru and Senegal. In Ethiopia, industrial parks have created tens of thousands of jobs.

Find out more about UNIDO’s cross-cutting service here.