UNIDO ITPO Italy successfully took part in the 2020 edition of the Italia Africa Business Week, this year titled “Rebranding Italy in Africa”, by joining two conference sessions held online on 10 and 11 November.

The first panel discussion, “Circular Economies, Green Industries and Sustainability in Africa”, featured the intervention of UNIDO ITPO Italy Head, Ms. Diana Battaggia, focusing on African countries such as Kenya, Botswana and Ethiopia with regard to the project “Fostering international partnerships between companies and/or institutions operating in the energy and environment sectors”, funded by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea. In this context, UNIDO ITPO Italy also illustrated in detail the several activities carried out by the Office for the implementation of said project –  among which the webinar series “Doing Green Business”. 

“In order to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, it is fundamental to promote a long-lasting economic growth along with environmental safeguard in the fight against climate change” commented Ms. Battaggia. “In this sense, circular economy is key to promote alternative production models, foster technological innovation and create jobs in the transition process towards a green, low-carbon economy, both in Africa and globally”.

During the second panel “Startups, New Technologies and Innovation in Africa”, UNIDO ITPO Italy introduced multiple success cases of innovative, bottom-up solutions from African startups and small and medium-sized enterprises, supported and promoted by the Office through its “International Award in Agribusiness” and the recent UNIDO Global Call “Innovative Ideas and Technologies vs COVID-19 and Beyond”. 

Bringing together relevant stakeholders from the Italian and African economic, entrepreneurial and financial world, the 2020 Italia Africa Business Week represented an opportunity to highlight the mandate of UNIDO ITPO Italy and its services to companies and institutions in the agribusiness and energy and environment sectors, in order to advance sustainable development in Africa and developing countries.