Vienna, 24 June 2024 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) today hosted the Fourth Session of the Development Dialogue on the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum (MIPF), marking another significant step in advancing global industrial policy collaboration and fostering actionable industrial policy solutions for sustainable industrialization.

MIPF was established by UNIDO in 2021 in response to Member States’ calls to expand and scale up the provision of the Organization’s industrial policy advisory services. Since 2022, three sessions of the Development Dialogue have shaped the Forum’s objectives and strategic direction, culminating in its inaugural edition in March 2023 at UNIDO Headquarters in Vienna.

The MIPF is building on the success of its pilot edition and is incorporating the three key lessons for future editions — enhancing interactivity, fostering a collaborative spirit, and prioritizing an outcome-oriented approach. The MIPF is also being scaled up as a major forum for industrial policy dialogue and experiential learning among Member States and stakeholders from governments, international organizations, the private sector and academia, to transform development challenges into sustainable solutions. Today’s session continued the momentum by updating Member States on preparations for MIPF 2024, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in Riyadh, from 23 to 24 October.

In his opening remarks, Ciyong Zou, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, emphasized the Forum’s role in fostering international cooperation in industrial development. He noted that MIPF 2024 aims to “significantly upscale engagement and exchange, targeting an attendance of 1,500 participants from all regions across the globe”. By designing the Forum as an “interactive, in-person event”, it will offer participants “a more immersive and impactful experience and foster partnership building”.

Suliman Almazroua, Director of the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program of Saudi Arabia, joined the session online, emphasizing his country’s commitment to collaborating with UNIDO to ensure the Forum’s success. He asserted that the MIPF aligns closely with KSA’s ‘Saudi Vision 2030’, which aims to promote industrialization through innovation and diversification, enhance competitiveness and drive social transformation. Almazroua underscored KSA’s dedication to actively engaging in fostering sustainable supply chains and industrialization both domestically and internationally. The Forum provides a unique opportunity for KSA to showcase its initiatives and achievements in the MIPF 2024’s three thematic work streams.

The session also featured a detailed presentation outlining the structure and thematic focus of MIPF 2024 by UNIDO’s Division of Capacity Development, Industrial Policy Advice and Statistics. An open dialogue followed with the Member States exchanging on suggestions for MIPF’s successful operationalization.

As part of the closing remarks, the Secretariat encouraged Member States to continue their engagement in shaping the Forum, and to liaise with the UNIDO MIPF team, to discuss collaboration in organizing future editions of the Forum.

For further information, please contact: mipf@unido.org