On June 26, 2025, in Vienna, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Igor Sekreta, met with the Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Gerd Müller.
For reference: UNIDO is a specialised UN agency with a core mandate to assist countries in modernising industrial production, promoting environmentally sound and sustainable industrial development, and introducing and adapting new technologies.
Belarus consistently supports the strengthening of UNIDO’s leading role in promoting sustainable industrial development across the globe and actively utilises the Organisation’s expertise and resources to enhance the competitiveness and environmental sustainability of its industries and to implement modern technologies and standards.
In December 2020, the Country Programme Framework for cooperation between the Government of Belarus and UNIDO was signed for an initial term of five years. It outlines the priority areas of expanded engagement and joint work, aligned with Belarus’s socio-economic development goals. Its duration has been extended until December 2030.
Belarus traditionally takes an active part in the work of UNIDO’s governing bodies. In November 2023, Belarus was elected for the fifth time to the Industrial Development Board.
I.Sekreta emphasised the symbolic significance of the meeting date – the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter – and noted the document’s continued relevance today.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the growing demand for UNIDO’s services and expertise in supporting sustainable industrial development and praised the Organisation’s ability to foster effective cross-sectoral cooperation among public and private actors, as well as scientific and expert communities.
The parties discussed the current state and future prospects of Belarus–UNIDO cooperation, the implementation of ongoing technical cooperation projects, and priority areas for further partnership under the existing Country Programme Framework.
Special attention was paid to initiatives in the field of digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including projects in the Brest and Mogilev regions.
The interlocutors also discussed the launch of a project in the “Great Stone” Industrial Park, with Chinese financing, aimed at granting the park eco-industrial status. Satisfaction was expressed with the agreement reached on the UNIDO technical mission to Belarus at the end of July to discuss the matter on-site.
The parties discussed opportunities for uniting Belarus’ efforts to strengthen the industrial and production potential of African countries and UNIDO’s project activities aimed at promoting industrial development in Africa, including through the use of the UNIDO Centre of Excellence in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and the potential of Belarusian industry and agriculture.
The Deputy Minister also addressed the issue of middle-income countries (MICs) and UNIDO’s role as the only organisation with a dedicated Strategic Framework for Partnering with MICs, aimed at helping them overcome development challenges. In this context, Belarus reaffirmed its initiative to update UNIDO’s Strategic Framework for MICs, which will be reviewed at the upcoming 53rd session of the Industrial Development Board (Vienna, June 30 – July 3, 2025).
UNIDO Director General, Gerd Müller, commended the level of cooperation with Belarus and expressed gratitude for the country’s consistent and active support of the Organisation’s work.
G.Müller confirmed UNIDO’s readiness to expand technical cooperation with Belarus and invited the Belarusian side to participate in the 21st session of the UNIDO General Conference, which will be held from 23 to 27 November 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Parties expressed their readiness to further deepen practical cooperation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.