‘Leave no one behind’: As wealth gap widens, UN calls for new industrial deal for world’s poorest

“First we have to end the war. Then we have to restart the factories,” said Basher Abdullah, adviser to the Sudanese Minister of Industry and Trade.

Like many of the world’s poorest countries, Sudan’s efforts to develop its economy have been severely hampered by conflict. But even amid the brutal civil war, the UN continues to provide support and a path to development.

First we must end the war. Then we have to restart the factories.

The fighting seems a world away from the vast King Abdul Aziz Conference Center in the Saudi capital, where ministers gathered on Saturday for an 11th anniversary family photo. Ministerial meeting of the least developed countries.

The ministers, who come from Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, have one thing in common: they each represent one of the poorest, most vulnerable countries in the world, officially designated by the UN as least developed countries (LDCs).

‘Yes to global solidarity’

“We need a decisive change of course,” said UN Director-General Gerd Müller UNIDOin his opening address to the assembled ministers, reminding them that industrialization “is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (the 17 global goals adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 as part of the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development) and building resilience to crises.

“We must say yes to global solidarity, say yes to multilateralism, say yes to preventing the gap between rich and poor from widening,” Mr Müller added.

He noted that 500 Nobel laureates and economists are calling on the world’s leading economies (the G20, currently meeting in South Africa) to take action: These leading experts have highlighted the fact that between 2000 and 2024, the richest one percent of the world’s population increased their wealth by 41 percent, while the poorest half of the world’s population increased theirs by just one percent.

Mr Müller pointed out that the world’s least developed countries are particularly vulnerable to a range of economic shocks, ranging from the climate crisis to trade tariffs and the deep cuts in overseas aid and development aid from the richest countries.

“The losses,” he warned, “will be devastating in sectors such as textiles, leather, agriculture and equipment industries – all vital to livelihoods and local economies.”

Building resilience through industry

UNIDO’s mission is to help countries weather these shocks and, through industrialization, become more resilient and improve lives: In Bangladesh, UNIDO training programs have helped garment factories meet international standards, creating millions of jobs for women; and in Nepal, youth are being equipped with coding and digital skills, closing the digital divide.

Meanwhile, in Sudan, the agency is supporting the agricultural industry, targeting small farmers and entrepreneurs and helping youth and women access financing, preparing the private sector for a time of peace and stability.

Two major achievements were achieved on Saturday: guidelines for scaling up UNIDO support – aimed at transferring technology and know-how – were agreed and ministers pledged to modernize the industry, find the money to make this happen, and work more closely in line with the UN’s global goals.

The commitments made in Riyadh are a decisive step in ensuring that millions of people in the world’s most vulnerable countries can thrive in an interconnected global economy.