For information only - not an official document
UNIS/OUS/254
4 September 2014
VIENNA/APIA, Samoa, 4 September 2014 (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) - A new partnership between the Government of Barbados and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will help Barbados advance a number of its development priorities, including building a resource efficient green economy through inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
A joint-declaration on this was signed today by Barbados' Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and UNIDO on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
"The Resource Efficient Low Carbon and Circular Industrial Partnership Platform for Catalyzing Eco-Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Barbados (RECIPPEE-Barbados) will assist in bringing low carbon and eco-based, including sustainable energy, and innovative industrial solutions to the sustainable development challenges impacting Barbados and other Caribbean SIDS," said the Director of UNIDO's Energy and Climate Change Branch, Pradeep Monga, who took part in the ceremony.
He added that "UNIDO is ready to further support the Government of Barbados in implementing its Medium term growth and development strategy 2013-2020, which, among others, focuses on enhancing energy and environmental sustainability in the context of a green economy".
Prime Minister Stuart noted that "Barbados is continuing its mission of becoming the most environmentally advanced green country in Latin America and the Caribbean". He added that "this new partnership, expected to be driven by the Ministry of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development will provide a new window of cooperation and partnership for pursuing our green ambition".
The Prime Minister also said that "it is Barbados' hope that the partnership be utilized as an opportunity for scaling up engagement and technical assistance from UNIDO to other SIDS in the area of resource efficiency and low carbon industrial development".
The new partnership will also help promote sustainable consumption and production, build capacity at the local level in the context of the Rio+20 mandate, forge ecoinnovation opportunities in the context of the EPA, and promote sustainable energy solutions to reduce production costs and enhance productivity and competitiveness of companies and small scale industries. It will also promote eco-based applied science, technology and innovation through strengthening existing and building new partnerships and networks with research and technology institutions, as well as promote niche opportunities for youth entrepreneurs.
The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States is being held in Samoa from 1 to 4 September 2014 under the theme "The sustainable development of Small Island Developing States through genuine and durable partnerships".
To find out more on UNIDO's work in promoting resource efficient and low carbon industrial production, please see: www.unido.org/en/what-we-do/environment/resource-efficient-and-low-carbon-industrial-production/cp/resource-efficient-and-cleaner-production.html
For more information on UNIDO's vision of inclusive and sustainable industrial development, please click here: www.unido.org
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For more information, please contact:
Philmore
Best, Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Industry, International Business, Commerce and
Small Business Development. Government of Barbados
Email:
Commerce.ps[at]barbados.gov.bb
Stein
Hansen, Chief,
Strategic Donor Relations and SIDS Focal Point, UNIDO
Email:
S.Hansen[at]unido.org
