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The 21st Session of the UNIDO General Conference
28/08/2025
Riyadh
05:08 PM
Local Time
36.95°C
Weather
PM2.5
Air Quality
28/08/2025
Riyadh
05:08 PM
Local Time
36.95°C
Weather
PM2.5
Air Quality
To fully capitalize on the potential of the General Conference of UNIDO, its twenty first session will transform into the Global Industry Summit (GIS) 2025, taking place from 23 to 27 November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The General Conference is UNIDO’s supreme policymaking organ, convening all 173 Member States once every two years. The Conference defines the Organization’s guiding principles and policies, approves budgets and work programmes, and elects members of the Industrial Development Board and the Programme and Budget Committee. Every four years, the Conference appoints the Director General of UNIDO. The current President of the General Conference is Her Excellency Ms. Debora Lepre (Italy).
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UNIDO is a specialized United Nations agency with a unique mandate to accelerate sustainable industrial development, supporting developing countries and emerging economies in building and transforming their industries.
Our vision is to build a fairglobal economy, free from poverty and hunger, with peace and prosperity for all. Sustainable industrial development is a key driver of economic and social progress, creating jobs and income, ending hunger and poverty, reducing inequalities, limiting emissions, preserving ecosystems and protecting the planet for future generations.
Our mission: UNIDO promotes industries for development worldwide and advances all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with its mandate specifically aligned with SDG 9. UNIDO’s work is central to improving living standards and securing our common future.
Our Offer: UNIDO offers technical cooperation, policy advice and norms- and standards-related services. Additionally, UNIDO serves as a global platform for knowledge and technology transfer, fostering partnerships, synergies, innovations, and investments in developing countries. UNIDO works with a wide range of development actors and the private sector.
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM) was established by Royal Decree No. (A/472) on 29/12/1440H (30/08/2019), marking a strategic shift in Saudi Arabia’s economic direction. Since its founding, the Ministry has overseen all responsibilities related to the industrial and mining sectors, advancing their development in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. The Ministry leads Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build a diversified, sustainable industrial economy. With a mandate to empower local industries and attract global investment, the Ministry plays a key role in advancing the Kingdom’s industrial and mining strategy.
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Harnessing the power of AI, strategic investment and public-private partnerships, is essential to ensure that the benefits of industrial transformation are inclusive and widely shared. This theme explores how mobilizing financial resources and digital innovations can accelerate inclusive economic growth and sustainable industrialization. Investments and partnerships become powerful catalysts for global development by driving cross-border collaboration and sectoral synergies, particularly in advancing digital cooperation to leverage digital technologies and address the digital divide.
Harnessing the power of AI, strategic investment and public-private partnerships, is essential to ensure that the benefits of industrial transformation are inclusive and widely shared. This theme explores how mobilizing financial resources and digital innovations can accelerate inclusive economic growth and sustainable industrialization. Investments and partnerships become powerful catalysts for global development by driving cross-border collaboration and sectoral synergies, particularly in advancing digital cooperation to leverage digital technologies and address the digital divide.
Women are vital to the future of industry, yet their contributions are often underrecognized. This theme emphasizes the importance of gender-responsive industrial policies, showcases women’s leadership, and presents inclusive models that foster innovation and equity. Centering women in industrial development strategies is essential for building more diverse, resilient, and forward-looking economies.
Young people are catalysts for innovation and essential co-creators of sustainable industrial transformation. This theme emphasized turning ideas into action, with a focus on key areas such as future-ready skills development; entrepreneurship for industrial innovation; decent work with fair pay and quality jobs; and the vital role of youth inclusion in policy and governance. By elevating youth voices and encouraging intergenerational collaboration, it highlights the crucial role of the next generation in shaping inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.
Join the official opening of the 21st UNIDO General Conference with keynote speeches from government leaders, UNIDO representatives, and global industry figures. This session will set the tone for the summit’s goals and vision.
09:00 - 16:00
2025-11-23
Opening of the 21 UNIDO General Conference
Harnessing the power of AI, strategic investment and public-private partnerships, is essential to ensure that the benefits of industrial transformation are inclusive and widely shared. This theme explores how mobilizing financial resources and digital innovations can accelerate inclusive economic growth and sustainable industrialization. Investments and partnerships become powerful catalysts for global development by driving cross-border collaboration and sectoral synergies, particularly in advancing digital cooperation to leverage digital technologies and address the digital divide.
09:00 - 17:00
2025-11-24
Investments & Partnership: The future of industrialization – AI as a gamechanger
Women are vital to the future of industry, yet their contributions are often underrecognized. This theme emphasizes the importance of gender-responsive industrial policies, showcases women’s leadership, and presents inclusive models that foster innovation and equity. Centering women in industrial development strategies is essential for building more diverse, resilient, and forward-looking economies.
09:00 - 05:00
2025-11-25
Women’s Empowerment: Women’s Role in the Future of Industry and Economy
Young people are catalysts for innovation and essential co-creators of sustainable industrial transformation. This theme emphasized turning ideas into action, with a focus on key areas such as future-ready skills development; entrepreneurship for industrial innovation; decent work with fair pay and quality jobs; and the vital role of youth inclusion in policy and governance. By elevating youth voices and encouraging intergenerational collaboration, it highlights the crucial role of the next generation in shaping inclusive and sustainable industrial growth.
09:00 - 17:00
2025-11-26
Youth: Generation Future – Inspiration for Tomorrow’s Industry
The Closing Ceremony of GC21
09:00 - 12:00
2025-11-27
Closing Ceremony
1 July 2025
Vienna, 1 July 2025 - The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia jointly with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), organized a promotional event in Vienna, Austria, at the margins of the fifty-third session of the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO, to highlight that the Kingdom will host the 21st session of the UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh from 23 to 27 November 2025. The event showcased the Kingdom’s preparations and commitment to hosting this landmark gathering in the global industrial development landscape. It also served as an official invitation to Member States and other partners to participate in the upcoming General Conference.
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22 February 2025
Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), engaged in a dialogue with Member States to update them on the state of the Organization's operations, review the progress made in 2024 and outline his targets for 2025. Müller addressing representatives: “We live in turbulent times and the work of UNIDO has never been more important. The geopolitical landscape is shifting, and the challenges we face are becoming more complex. Industry is a key part of the solution to address these global challenges, creating jobs and incomes.”
28 November 2024
Vienna, Nov 27 – The fifty-second session of the UNIDO Industrial Development Board (IDB) has come to a successful conclusion, having prepared also the road towards the landmark 21st UNIDO General Conference to take place in Riyadh in November 2025. The IDB is a central policy-making organ for the Organization, comprised of representatives from 53 Member States, presided over by Ambassador Gabriela Sellner of Austria. It oversees UNIDO‘s work programme implementation, regular and operational budgets, and makes recommendations to the General Council.
1 July 2025
Vienna, 1 July 2025 - The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia jointly with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), organized a promotional event in Vienna, Austria, at the margins of the fifty-third session of the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO, to highlight that the Kingdom will host the 21st session of the UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh from 23 to 27 November 2025. The event showcased the Kingdom’s preparations and commitment to hosting this landmark gathering in the global industrial development landscape. It also served as an official invitation to Member States and other partners to participate in the upcoming General Conference.
22 February 2025
Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), engaged in a dialogue with Member States to update them on the state of the Organization's operations, review the progress made in 2024 and outline his targets for 2025. Müller addressing representatives: “We live in turbulent times and the work of UNIDO has never been more important. The geopolitical landscape is shifting, and the challenges we face are becoming more complex. Industry is a key part of the solution to address these global challenges, creating jobs and incomes.”
28 November 2024
Vienna, Nov 27 – The fifty-second session of the UNIDO Industrial Development Board (IDB) has come to a successful conclusion, having prepared also the road towards the landmark 21st UNIDO General Conference to take place in Riyadh in November 2025. The IDB is a central policy-making organ for the Organization, comprised of representatives from 53 Member States, presided over by Ambassador Gabriela Sellner of Austria. It oversees UNIDO‘s work programme implementation, regular and operational budgets, and makes recommendations to the General Council.
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