UNIDO Day 2026: Connecting Global Partnership for a Shared Blue Future
UNIDO Day 2026: Connecting Global Partnership for a Shared Blue Future
Shanghai, China, June 12, 2026 - UNIDO Day 2026, themed “Connecting Global Partnership for a Shared Blue Economy Future,” was successfully held during the 12th China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair (CSITF). The event was hosted by the UNIDO, supported by the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, and jointly organized by the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Office Shanghai (UNIDO ITPO Shanghai) and the Shanghai Foreign Investment Association.
Ms. Fatou HAIDARA, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of UNIDO, delivered a video message to congratulate the successful opening of UNIDO Day 2026. In her opening remarks, she noted that under UNIDO’s vision, the Organization continues to expand partnerships and investment, transforming political commitments into concrete, implementable solutions, turning projects into viable business models, and remaining focused on delivering tangible and impactful results for Member States. To support these efforts, the UNIDO Investment and Technology Promotion Network, particularly UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, plays an important bridging role by connecting governments, innovators, and investors, while remaining committed to translating innovation into outcomes for sustainable development.
Ms. Luomei SHU, Director of UNIDO Division of ITPOs and Institutional Partnerships, emphasized in her remarks that UNIDO actively works with global partners to pursue practical cooperation with a more open approach, promote the deep integration of ideas and practices, and jointly build a win-win future for the blue economy. She noted that this is precisely why UNIDO has been able to effectively promote cross-sectoral and cross-industrial collaboration: through diverse partnerships and the implementation of innovative technologies, genuine integration and connectivity can be achieved.
Ms. Lan ZHOU, Deputy Director of the Executive Office of the CSITF Organizing Committee and Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, noted in her remarks that this year’s forum closely aligns with national strategic priorities. She expressed the hope that the event would serve as a new starting point to deepen global blue partnerships, promote the integration of marine scientific and technological achievements with the real economy, accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces in the blue sector, and jointly create a new landscape of connectivity, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation in technology trade.
During UNIDO Day, the 5th Campaign of Carbon-Neutral Technology & Solutions was officially launched. The initiative echoes the UNIDO Global Call 2026 and the One World Sustainability Awards, aiming to identify and showcase innovative solutions with market potential, scalability, and long-term impact.
In the keynote session, Mr. Henry Huiyao Wang, Founder and President of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), delivered a keynote speech titled “Chinese Enterprises Going Global through Sustainable Development.” He stated that global competition is ultimately not about who moves the fastest, but about who builds the strongest foundation. He called on Chinese enterprises to not only participate in green development but also become leaders in shaping green rules and green values.
Mr. Wang Jinnan, Vice Chairperson of the Population, Resources and Environment Committee of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Honorary President of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Chairman of the World Green Design Organization, and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a video keynote speech titled “Strengthening Marine Ecological Protection Cooperation and Promoting Blue Impact Investment.”He stated that China has forged a path that coordinates ecological protection with industrial development, and expressed his expectation that capital and partners from all sectors would work together to further cultivate China’s blue marine industries and jointly build a clean and beautiful world where humanity and nature coexist in harmony.
Mr. Alejandro Rivera Rojas, Chief of the Division of MSME Competitiveness, Quality and Job Creation at UNIDO, introduced UNIDO’s Blue Industry Framework via video. He emphasized that no single actor can build sustainable blue value chains alone. Governments, industries, financial institutions, and international organizations must work together to transform the vision of the blue economy into practical industrial solutions.
Mr. Lai Xiaoming, Chairman of the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, delivered a keynote speech titled “Carbon Markets Empowering the Blue Economy and Supporting the Dual-Carbon Goals.”He emphasized that blue carbon has enormous development potential, but institutional systems and working mechanisms still need to be improved. Through carbon markets, the blue-carbon economy can be empowered to achieve a win-win outcome between ecological value and economic returns.
The high-level dialogue, themed “Advancing Blue Industry Development through Global Partnerships,” brought together panelists including Mr. Xia Zuyi, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences; Mr. Xu Shilong, Chairman of Shanghai Gangwan Group; Mr. Yu Weijing, Founder and Chairman of United Water Corporation; Ms. Arvea Marieni, Senior Advisor to WGDO and EU Climate Pact Ambassador; and Mr. Yuan Zhonghua, Chairman of STR Group and VTR Aluminum Vietnam. The panelists shared insights from multiple perspectives, including the evolution of international rules, industrial technological innovation, and cross-border cooperation mechanisms. They discussed how international partnership networks can be leveraged to promote a greener, more inclusive, and more resilient global industrial system, and to achieve sustainable growth in the blue economy.
This year also marks a new starting point following the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. As two major economies and industrial cooperation partners, China and Europe have undergone a profound transformation from “complementary dependence” to “strategic mutual shaping.” Cooperation in areas such as green environmental protection, high-end manufacturing, clean energy, biomedicine, digital governance, and sustainable supply chains is moving toward deeper innovation collaboration, standards alignment, and ecosystem co-creation. In this context, Patrik Kovacs, President of the Hungarian Business Alliance, also sent a video message to UNIDO Day 2026, emphasizing that young people and small and medium-sized enterprises from China and Europe should strengthen cooperation, and that intergenerational partnerships are a cornerstone for the development of the blue economy.
In the closing session, Ms. Xiaolei ZHAO, Head of UNIDO ITPO Shanghai, expressed sincere appreciation to the attending leaders, speakers, and partners. She expressed the hope that UNIDO Day would continue to serve as a platform for showcasing and connecting cutting-edge industrial technologies, providing international solutions to support CSITF in becoming a “global technology trendsetter,” and promoting blue industries as a new engine of economic growth.
Distinguished guests including Ms. Qian YANG, First-Level Inspector of the Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce; Mr. Feng HUANG, President of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Association; Mr. Hanrong PEI, Chairman of the Water and Air Purification Professional Committee of the China International Association for Promotion of Science and Technology; Professor Junliang CAI, Professor of Materials Science at Duke Kunshan University and Co-Director of the Environmental Research Center at Duke Kunshan University; Mr. Jun ZHANG, Chief Economist of China Galaxy Securities, President of its Research Institute, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of China Galaxy International; Ms. Mingchen JIANG, China Chief Representative of the Swiss Humanoid Robotics Association; Mr. Chunyu YAO, Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Industrial Commerce Exhibition Co., Ltd. under Donghao Lansheng Events; Ms. Yingli MAI, General Manager of Brand Management Center of Luenmei Group; Ms. Yingying QIAN, Assistant to the Chairman of Shanghai Qianyu Feng Low Carbon Technology Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Shijiang ZHOU, Founding Partner of Zhongsuihua Ecological Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., also attended UNIDO Day 2026. Ms. Nishtha MEHTA, Senior Advisor,International, UNIDO Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation is the guest host for the UNIDO Day 2026.
