Japan to extend UNIDO service in the country to further promote industrial investment in developing countries, technology transfer

VIENNA, 14 December 2010 – The Government of Japan is extending UNIDO’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) in Tokyo for another three years to support developing countries and economies in transition in attracting investment and technology from Japan.

The Office will also assist investors in Japan in making decisions on establishing industrial partnerships by providing support and developing partnership opportunities into business proposals, detailed information in the host country, as well as in negotiating such proposals.

An agreement on this was signed in Vienna today by the Permanent Representative of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Ambassador Takeshi Nakane, and UNIDO Director-General, Kandeh K. Yumkella.

ITPO Tokyo will have a budget of JPY161,500,000 (around USD1,900,000), contributed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.  

“Foreign direct investment can be a major contributor to economic growth and social progress in developing countries,” said Yumkella.

“But many developing countries and countries with economy in transition have inadequate means to take full advantage of the new opportunities in today’s competitive business environment. As a result, they experience enormous difficulties in attracting foreign investors and accessing new clean technologies to assure sustainable industrial development and economic growth.”  

Ambassador Nakane echoed the important role of investment and technology transfer from Japan to developing countries as well as possible difficulties in its realization. UNIDO and ITPO Tokyo help address the challenges and build industrial partnerships, he said.

The ITPO has access to first-hand information, which has been accumulated through UNIDO technical cooperation projects, on the investment climate, regulations and requirements, as well as on opportunities for industrial cooperation and potential partners in developing countries and countries in transition. It assists and guides potential partners in industrial ventures and technology transfer.  

Since its inception, responding to the demand of its Member States, UNIDO has been involved in promoting foreign investment and technology transfer to drive industrial competitiveness and growth. The Organization operates in this field both as catalyst and promoter of industrial partnerships, stimulating and guiding the sponsors and promoters of investment and technology projects in the initial phase of project formulation and assisting them in the search for potential partners in industrialized countries, as well as identifying local partners in developing countries.

ITPO Tokyo is one of 13 Investment and Technology Promotion Offices of the UNIDO ITPO Network. It was founded in 1981 as one of the first ITPOs based on an agreement between UNIDO and the Government of Japan.

Visit the ITPO website, in English and Japanese:

http://www.unido.or.jp/ 

For more information on UNIDO, please contact:

Mikhail Evstafyev

UNIDO Advocacy and Communications Coordinator

Telephone: (+43-1) 26026-5021

Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-7329

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