The core mandate of UNIDO is to promote sustainable industrial development in developing countries. UNIDO was set up in 1966 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1985. Its headquarters is in Vienna, and it is represented in 35 developing countries.

UNIDO Country Programme

The UNIDO’s Sri Lanka Integrated Programme was launched in September 1999, to support the continued growth of the industrial sector in Sri Lanka and to face the competitive challenges arising from globalisation. Since the inception of the programme, the constraints facing the industrial sector have multiplied, due to a number of local and global factors. These new challenges make the UNIDO intervention and support provided therein, much more appropriate and vital now. The Phase 1 programme was funded to the tune of Approx USD 6Mn.

The Ministry of Industrial Development has a vital support role to play in facilitating industry growth. In recognition of this critical factor, significant effort was made to assist the Ministry to restructure itself to become a true development facilitator and Ministry capacity has been strengthened under the programme.

A key component of Sri Lanka’s cooperation with UNIDO is the technical cooperation. Significant assistance has been provided to the industrial sector in Sri Lanka during Phase I of the Integrated Development Programme from 1999 – 2004.

Phase II (2005 – 2009) concentrated on broadening Sri Lanka’s industrial base, strengthening national capacity for trade to enable Sri Lanka’s industrial output meet the competitive requirements of the globalised world economy, and building the vulnerable industrial sectors. Hence Phase II targets sectors such as the traditional agricultural sector of the country, as well as the SMEs. It also includes assistance to post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation on the North and East, and post tsunami economic revival.

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