The UNIDO Brussels office had the honour to welcome H.E. Mmasekgoa G. Masire-Mwamba, Ambassador of Botswana to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of the Mission to the European Union on 6 March at the United Nations House in Brussels, Belgium. During the visit, the ambassador delivered a powerful message for International Women’s Day, emphasizing the imperative of empowering women in business diplomacy, which is a crucial aspect of global progress and prosperity. Take a look at her video message below.
The UNIDO Brussels Office welcomed H.E.Bitange Nedemo Kenyan Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, on 7 March. The discussions revolved around driving sustainable development and economic growth initiatives in Kenya. Among the topics explored were avenues for specialized training across various levels, ranging from diplomats to frontline farmers, to capitalize on opportunities for skill enhancement and knowledge dissemination.
Mr. Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO’s EU Representative, warmly greeted H.E. Dr. Mekondjo Kaapanda-Girnus, Namibia’s Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands, and the EU, on 15 March for a fruitful exchange. They discussed green hydrogen, critical raw materials, sustainable supply chains, and investment and trade promotion. UNIDO and Namibia are enhancing cooperation through administrative and technical support, investment mobilization, capacity building, and triangular arrangements to advance sustainable development.
On March 25, Mr. Christophe Yvetot, UNIDO Representative to the European Union, met with H.E. Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union, to discuss advancing Ukraine’s green industrial recovery program. The discussions focused on supporting economic recovery and social well-being for a sustainable future. UNIDO aims to foster a resilient, green, and sustainable industry in Ukraine through initiatives that promote a green economy, create opportunities for people, and support businesses while attracting investment.
A l’occasion de la journée de la langue française Mars 21, M. Christophe Yvetot, a participé au panel de haut niveau intitulé « La Francophonie à l’aube de la transition numérique : défis et opportunités », au Centre international de Vienne. Aux côtés de M. Yvetot se trouvaient S.E Mme Delphine Hournau-Pouëzat, représentante permanente de la France auprès des Organisations Internationales à Vienne, Mme Anna Joubin-Bret, Directrice Générale de la CNUDCI, Mme Lydie Evrard, Chef du Département de la sûreté et de la sécurité nucléaires à l’AIEA et Mme Ichrak Ketata, Ingénieure en génie logiciel au Centre International des Données de l’OTICE.- Après un mot de bienvenue prononcé par Mme Ahed Sboul, cheffe du service des conférences de l’ONUV et une mise en contexte depuis Genève par S.E M. Henri Monceau, représentant permanent de l’OIF à Vienne et à Genève, il a été débattu de l’importance du multilinguisme dans les organisations internationales, des défis et opportunités de la transition numérique pour les organisations internationales et des spécificités de cette transition pour les pays francophones. M. Yvetot a eu l’occasion de mettre en lumière le rôle d’assistance technique et d’appui normatif de l’ONUDI dans les domaines de la transition numérique et plus spécifiquement de l’intelligence artificielle, ainsi que l’engagement de l’organisation dans l’élaboration du Pacte Numérique Mondial.
Le panel était préparé et animé par Mme Agnès Chanut, coordinatrice de projet à l’ONUDI et présidente de l’association francophone Le Cercle.
Mr. Christophe Yvetot participated in EPICO Klima Innovation Consultative Stakeholder Workshop on “Forging the Future: Horizons for Steel Decarbonization” on March 21, 2024. He shed light on the Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI) by the Clean Energy Ministerial, coordinated by UNIDO and co-led by UK and India with Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, UAE, and the USA as additional members.
Three key points were discussed:
- Enhancing data availability and reporting structures for embodied carbon.
- Developing harmonized standards to support the market and enable comparability of low-carbon products.
- Advocating for green public procurement policies to spur private sector investment in clean energy technologies like hydrogen and carbon capture.
Upcoming EU events:
- World Circular Economy Forum 15-18 April – Brussels, Belgium. UNIDO will organize 6 events to promote its activities related to the circular economy.
- EU Green Week Conference 29-30 May – Brussels, Belgium. UNIDO will participate and promote its joint activities with the European Union.
