ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 01st Sep, 2020) Bernando Calzadilla Sarmiento, Director of the Trade, Investment and Innovation Department at the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, has said that the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, GMIS, performs a key role in confronting the coronavirus pandemic, by enabling decision-makers, senior officials and leaders of industry to discuss challenges, create partnerships and suggest innovative solutions.
During his interview with the Emirates news Agency, WAM, Sarmiento said that the summit, which will take place on 4th and 5th September, encourages investment in innovative solutions to combatting the coronavirus.
"The world was not expecting the coronavirus pandemic and its considerable impacts on the economic and healthcare sectors. Following the significant disturbance to global value chains, we began to realise the key role of the industrial sector in supporting the global efforts to overcome this crisis," Sarmiento said while highlighting the production of personal protective equipment, testing kits and face masks.
Regarding the cooperation between the UAE and UNIDO, Sarmiento noted that the organisation has a long record of cooperation with the UAE dating back to 1988, when the two sides signed a cooperation agreement.
He also pointed out that their relations have witnessed significant development, citing the joint presidency of GMIS by UNIDO and the UAE Government, followed by the UAE’s hosting of the 18th UNIDO General Conference in November 2019, which witnessed the endorsement of the Abu Dhabi Declaration.
Regarding the future of the global industrial sector in the post-coronavirus era, Sarmiento added that all countries will be affected by the fourth industrial revolution, so GMIS will help promote international dialogue on how to employ related technologies.
Speaking about the UAE’s efforts to raise awareness about climate change, he stressed that UNIDO is closely cooperating with the UAE in organising and managing environmental issues related to the industrial sector.
On the role of technological development and innovation in empowering women in the industrial sector, he said that technological innovation encourages economic diversification, ensures added value, increases incomes, develops knowledge-based economies and improves industrial efficiency, so, therefore, the empowerment of women is necessary to allow them to perform their roles in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.
Gender equality will help achieve significant economic advancement, he further added while citing a research study performed by McKinsey and Company, which explained that reinforcing gender equality will add around US$12 trillion to global GDP by 2025.
