Tokyo, Japan, 29 July 2026 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Government of Japan are advancing their partnership to promote sustainable, inclusive industrial development in the Global South. On 29 July, the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) in Tokyo hosted a ceremony launching the "UNIDO Industrial Cooperation Programme in the Global South through Technology Transfer from Japan".
The event convened key stakeholders, including representatives from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), alongside seven Japanese companies leading large-scale demonstration projects. Representatives from three participating Global South nations also attended. Following interventions from UNIDO and the Government of Japan, the Japanese companies presented progress reports on their projects.
The new programme leverages Japanese technical expertise to deliver practical, on-the-ground impact. These initiatives were developed in collaboration with local business partners in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and South Africa. Embassy representatives expressed expectations that these projects will mature into sustainable, scalable businesses within their local economies. The launch concluded with a networking session designed to strengthen partnerships for future cooperation.
To support the programme's rollout, and in line with the solid partnership with Japan, Fatou Haidara, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director, UNIDO met with Takehiko Matsuo, Vice-Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). During the meeting, she expressed appreciation for the consistent support of Tokyo ITPO for over 40 years. She specifically thanked METI for financing major initiatives, including Ukraine's reconstruction and the Global South project.
Highlighting the rising demand for UNIDO’s assistance – echoed at last year’s Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) – Haidara reaffirmed the Organization's commitment to fostering business models where Japanese technology delivers mutual benefits for both Japan and developing nations. Requesting METI's continued support, she emphasized, "Japan has been a strong contributor to UNIDO projects on a voluntary basis and is an especially important partner for UNIDO, Ukraine, and countries of the Global South".
Managing Director Haidara also held bilateral talks with Yuichi Oba, Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). She expressed gratitude for the Japanese government's long-standing financial contributions and its active involvement in UNIDO's operations. Noting that Japan's policy priorities closely align with UNIDO’s strategic activities, the two officials confirmed their commitment to continuing collaboration with Japanese companies possessing technical expertise, focusing on the development of projects that contribute to human security.
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For more information and highlights from the event, please see the full event report:
Ceremony to Introduce the UNIDO Industrial Cooperation Programme in the Global South through Technology Transfer from Japan (29 July 2026) | United Nations Industrial Development Organization
To learn more about this programme and have an overview of each demonstration project, please visit: Global South Project | UNIDO
For more information, please contact:
Associate Expert (ITPO Tokyo, the Global South project)