Partnerships key to sustainable industrialisation

The United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) president, Frederick Shaya, told delegates on April 26 that partnerships are key to unleashing the full potential of sustainable industrialisation.

Speaking at the conclusion of an international meeting held in Zimbabwe on the importance of agriculture and agro-industries for sustainable and resilient food systems, Shaya said partnerships are crucial to mitigate the challenges of climate change and natural disasters.

“[We have] to go beyond past and current models, beyond individual areas of expertise, beyond separate locations and beyond institutional frontiers,” said Shaya.

“In doing so, we can unleash the full potential of infrastructure development and sustainable industrialisation, including agro-industries, to generate growth and employment while preserving planetary boundaries.”

The meeting in Victoria Falls follows an earlier meeting in Dakar, Senegal, where delegates discussed the role of infrastructure development in promoting sustainable industrialisation.

These two events were organised to prepare for a special ECOSOC meeting on innovations in infrastructure development and promotion of sustainable industrialisation, to be convened by Shaya at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States, on May 31.