ITU and UNIDO join forces for smart and inclusive industry

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) aim to strengthen their collaboration to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin and UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller signed the Joint Declaration regarding the collaboration between the two UN specialized agencies on the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular on industrialization, infrastructure development, and innovation in the digital age, on 25 June at ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

“The signature of this Joint Declaration with UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller at such a critical time in our common efforts to achieve the SDGs reinforces the strong link between universal meaningful connectivity and the revolution taking place in the industrial sector,” said Bogdan-Martin.

A focus on SDG Goal 9

The relationship between ITU and UNIDO focuses on Goal 9 of the SDGs which calls for the building of resilient infrastructure, the promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and the fostering of innovation.

The success of Goal 9 is critical to drive economic growth, social development and climate action.

“Digitalization and AI are game changers for developing countries to accelerate economic growth and sustainable industrial development,” said Müller. “By strengthening our cooperation with ITU, we can combine our expertise to support developing countries to unlock their enormous potential to increase efficiency and productivity, and to better preserve resources and the environment.”

How ITU and UNIDO will cooperate

The two organizations formalized their work together in 2017 in an effort to strengthen country-level collaboration through programmes centered on public-private partnerships and investment directed toward achieving the SDGs. This led to ITU organizing, among others, global forums, events and advocacy initiatives in support of the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa, led by UNIDO. Collaboration with UNIDO has also included work related to smart sustainable cities, green standards, innovation for digital transformation and e-waste management.

The new joint declaration calls for the agencies to create innovative models of cooperation for leveraging multi-stakeholders’ resources as well as an enabling environment and platform for exchanges with all stakeholders addressing the SDGs.

The organizations will cooperate in a number of thematic areas addressing the impact of digital technologies on industry and society: AI and digital governance, broadening digital access, capacity building and digital skills development, cybersecurity, digital agriculture, digital economy, digital transformation and innovation ecosystems, emerging digital frontiers, Industry 4.0 and the metaverse, joint innovation challenges, public-private partnerships and global collaborations, and sustainable technologies and environmental sustainability.

Summit of the Future and Global Digital Compact

The renewed partnership, which comes before the Summit of the Future and the expected adoption of the Global Digital Compact in September, leverages ITU’s work as the UN agency for digital technologies with UNIDO’s effort to promote, dynamize and accelerate industrial development.

And the agreement comes as both organizations confront the realities besetting the SDGs.

SDGs: The current reality

Globally, 2.6 billion people remain offline and digital divides persist for women and people in countries with lower levels of economic development. As the integration of digital technologies into everyday life continues, the need for inclusivity, equity, and responsibility in the development and use of those technologies is increasingly important.

Meanwhile, worldwide unemployment stands at over 200 million with a further two billion people working in the informal economy in jobs that lack basic protections. As with the digital divides, women are faring worse, and the poor are being hit the hardest.

The rapid advance of AI and other digital technologies, such as in Industry 4.0 – the manufacturing era dominated by intelligent automation, machine learning, and the Internet of Things – underlines the importance of the work that lies ahead.

AI and emerging technologies can support the SDGs but they can also deepen divides. Ensuring that technological innovations work for society without leaving anyone behind lies at the centre of the renewed partnership.

“As ITU and UNIDO strengthen their collaboration to build public-private partnerships, leverage resources and enable stakeholder exchanges, we need to ensure that everyone has the opportunity and the ability to participate in today’s digital economy,” Bogdan-Martin said.