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Mr. K. Yumkella, UNIDO Director General, visited Rome on
30 and 31 October to meet with high Italian government
officials and the heads of other UN Agencies. During
his visit, Mr. Yumkella was interviewed on the popular
morning talk show UNO MATTINA, on RAI 1 of Italian State
Television together with Minister Elisabetta Belloni,
Director General of Italian Development Cooperation. The
points discussed were the ability of small enterprises
in developing countries to meet the quality, hygiene,
and health standards demanded in advanced country
markets, to which the Director General replied in the
negative, explaining that developing countries need
assistance to improve their standards, as well as
institutional strengthening to ensure compliance with,
and enforcement of such standards. The other point was
whether
developing countries can leapfrog some environmentally
harmful phases of industrial development and go directly
to a more environmentally-bening industry structure
(than advanced countries, in some cases) to which the
Director general responded affirmatively.
Minister
Belloni and Mr. Yumkella also addressed issues related
to Italian development assistance policies and support
to UNIDO.
 Mr.
Yumkella was received by the President of the Council of
Ministers, Premier Silvio Berlusconi with whom he had a
friendly but serious discussion about UNIDO and the
needs of developing countries for assistance with
investment and industrialization. The Premier offered
support to UNIDO in its tasks and also praised the
Organisation for having shown flexibility/adaptability
in meeting the changing needs of developing country
enterprises while also reflecting the policy priorities
of donors.
Mr. Yumkella met also with Foreign Minister Hon. Franco
Frattini and later with Ministers Belloni and La
Francesca, in charge of the promotion of culture and
cultural exchanges.
In mid- afternoon, Mr. Yumkella, accompanied by Messrs
Luetkenhorst and De Groot
honoured us by having lunch in the ITPO Italy office.
Mr. Yumkella was thus able to meet all the ITPO Italy
staff and to have his picture taken together with us
(see below).
Before leaving for Vienna, Mr. Yumkella called on the
President of IFAD, Mr. Lennart Bage. |
