Shanghai Delegation attend the 21st Session of the UNIDO General Conference (GC21) and the 2025 Global Industry Summit

The 21st Session of the UNIDO General Conference (GC21) and the 2025 Global Industry Summit successfully concluded in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, from November 23 to 27. The event attracted over 5,000 delegates from 173 member states, collectively showcasing UNIDO's pivotal role in driving inclusive and sustainable industrialization, promoting structural economic transformation, and enhancing global competitiveness.

The Conference unanimously adopted the landmark outcome document, the Riyadh Declaration, which sets the strategic direction for further advancing inclusive and sustainable industrialization and global industrial development cooperation. UNIDO also launched a series of key documents, including UNIDO Vision 2050: the Future of Industry for Development, the Industrial Development Report 2026(IDR 2026), The City‑Industry‑Climate Nexus: UNIDO white paper on decarbonizing cities, the Industrial AI Action Plan (2026-2030), and UNIDO Youth Empowerment Framework 2026-2029. GC21 innovatively featured the Global Industry Summit concurrently. The event programme included the General Conference session, 2 Ministerial Meetings, over 30 side events, more than 20 high-level roundtables, over 50 solution workshops, and more than 1,000 exhibition activities and on-site matchmaking sessions.

During the three thematic days—Day of Investment and Partnership, Women’s Empowerment Day, and Youth Day—delegates from various nations engaged in discussions on topics such as artificial intelligence, green transition, inclusive innovation, sustainable supply chains, and job creation, collectively charting a new blueprint for the future of global industry.

ITPO Shanghai organized a business delegation to Riyadh for international exchanges and project matching, achieving fruitful results through this high-level international platform. During the mission to Riyadh, ITPO Shanghai leveraged the UN conference platform to help Chinese enterprises showcase their technological solutions, attract project investments, and facilitate the global deployment of their technologies through thematic events, award ceremonies, and exhibition booth matching. This effort further bolstered the international influence of Shanghai's scientific and technological innovation. The ITPO Shanghai business delegation’s visit to Saudi Arabia was highly successful, with several participating enterprises reaching preliminary cooperation intentions with overseas governments or businesses.

Multiple Themed Events on the Day of Investment and Partnership

The Day of Investment and Partnership on November 24th specifically underscored the critical role of innovation and strategic cooperation as catalysts for sustainable industrial development.A key event was the workshop "Shaping the Future of Industry: Investment and Technology Promotion as an Engine for Change," hosted by the UNIDO GLO/ITP. The workshop was designed to provide a roadshow platform for enterprises through UNIDO's global Investment and Technology Promotion (ITP) Network, facilitating targeted matchmaking between businesses, international organizations, and governments.

The workshop featured addresses by Ms. Fatou Haidara, UNIDO Deputy Director-General, and Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Ahmadi, Deputy Minister of the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. Ms. Luomei Shu, Director of the GLO/ITP, and Directors from various ITPOs also delivered keynote speeches.

Heads of eight ITPOs from countries including Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and China participated in the workshop, accompanied by delegations representing over 150 enterprises. Ms. Xiaolei Zhao, Director of ITPO Shanghai, delivered a keynote speech titled "How to Bridge the Gap between Technology and Investment?" She also invited members of the Shanghai delegation to present Chinese technology solutions on stage.

The Day of Investment and Partnership was filled with diverse and engaging activities. The ITPO Shanghai business delegation was also invited to participate in several other meetings, including the roundtable "Cultural Narratives and Economic Growth: The Power of the Orange Economy," hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the roundtable "Greener Future with Cleaner Technologies: Japanese Technology for Waste Management and Water Treatment," hosted by Japan. The ITPO Shanghai business delegation engaged in technology exchange and project matchmaking with government officials and business leaders from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Japan, Bahrain, Germany, Italy, and Barbados. These interactions further deepened the exchange and cooperation of Chinese technological solutions in the global fields of sustainable development and innovative industries.

ONE World Sustainability Awards Ceremony

The inaugural ONE World Sustainability Awards 2025, launched by UNIDO, the first-ever global initiative of its kind, garnered an enthusiastic response from sectors worldwide. The 2025 call for projects received over 1,000 submissions globally across three key areas: Sustainable Supply Chains, Innovative Start-ups, and Women in Industry. This impressive number of entries included 42 outstanding Chinese technology projects selected and submitted by ITPO Shanghai.

The ONE World Sustainability Awards ceremony was grandly held on November 23rd. The award is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating business practices that deeply integrate profitability with responsibility, sustainability, and impact, providing an international stage for trailblazers shaping the future of industry. Members of the Shanghai delegation were invited to attend the prestigious ceremony, witnessing the announcement of the award winners and engaging in exchanges with representatives of the successful, prize-winning projects.

Exhibition Booth Activities and Project Matching

Throughout GC21, the exhibition booth managed by GLO/ITP hosted numerous dynamic booth activities and project matchmaking sessions. The GLO/ITP booth has solidified its position as a central platform for global government officials and enterprise leaders—serving as a showcase, gathering point, exchange venue, and matchmaking window. It provides an excellent platform for fostering high-level international industrial exchange and cooperation. The Shanghai delegation actively participated in project promotion at the booth, along with various other booth activities and project matchmaking sessions.

To contribute to high-level opening-up in the new era, and upholding its mission of two-way investment and technology promotion both domestically and internationally, the UNIDO ITPO Shanghai remains committed to serving the local economy's "going global and bringing in" strategy. ITPO Shanghai will continue to leverage high-level international platforms to regularly organize international exchanges and project matchmaking for enterprises, focusing on facilitating the successful implementation of two-way investment and technology projects.

About GC

The UNIDO General Conference (GC), convened biennially, is the Organization's supreme policymaking organ. The GC not only provides a chance for strategic guidance to member states but also offers a high-end, impartial, and authoritative international exchange platform for government-to-government, government-to-business, and business-to-business dialogue, fostering global knowledge sharing and industrial cooperation. Furthermore, it provides countries/regions with a crucial opportunity for promotion and recommendation on an official UN platform at the head-of-state and ministerial levels.