United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Industry have officially inaugurated the China-Africa-UNIDO Centre of Excellence located in Addis Ababa.
The Centre of Excellence was jointly inaugurated recently by the UNIDO’s Director General, Gerd Müller; Chairman of the CIDCA, Luo Zhaohui; and Ethiopian Minister of Industry, Melaku Alebel during Müller’s trip to China.
Described as a pioneering tripartite initiative to promote sustainable industrialization, agricultural modernization, and skills development across Africa, the Centre is the first tripartite flagship program of its kind, between Ethiopia, CIDCA and the UN agency.
“The Centre of Excellence symbolizes a new era of cooperation and innovation, bringing cutting-edge low-carbon technologies and expertise to Africa,” Müller stated.
The Centre aims to align with strategic frameworks such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Ethiopia’s Ten-Year Development Plan, contributing to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
As part of the overall programme, Müller signed agreements with the CIDCA for two major projects in Ethiopia which will support mechanized agriculture systems and upgrade the national livestock value chain, improving the agri-business sector and increasing market access in Ethiopia.
Similarly, Zhaohui highlighted that the centre was a key implementation of President Xi Jinping’s initiatives to support African development, while Alebel emphasised Ethiopia’s commitment to sustainable development and appreciated the support and cooperation with China and UNIDO.
