PRESS RELEASE

Yokohama, 27 August 2019 – During an official side event of the seventh Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD7), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and NEC Corporation (NEC) agreed on a global collaboration and partnership framework to develop Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions for inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID). To this end, UNIDO Deputy Director General Hiroshi Kuniyoshi and NEC Executive Vice President Toshiya Matsuki signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will enhance and strengthen cooperation to leverage Information ICT for ISID. As such, and based on the MOU, UNIDO and NEC will co-create projects for the use of ICT in industrial developments, procurement of funds, and global development of projects.

“I welcome that the Memorandum of Understanding between UNIDO and NEC has been signed on the important occasion of TICAD7 and hope that future projects based on this MOU will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs as well as constitute a big step forward for the collaboration and cooperation between Africa and Japan”, said Ms. Aya Yoshida, Director, Global Issues Cooperation Division, International Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

“I welcome this MOU for further collaboration between UNIDO and NEC. I hope this partnership will bring efficient production and logistics with digital technologies, safer and smart cities, development of industrial and social infrastructure, and high and convenient quality of life for people in Africa, and hope to lead the world in these areas”, said Mr. Takashi Konno, Director, Technical Cooperation Division, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

“I believe that the memorandum of understanding will act as a gateway to strengthen the cooperation between our two organizations to support the development and implementation of inclusive and sustainable and industrial development initiatives through advanced information and communications technologies”, said UNIDO Director General LI Yong.

“NEC is pleased to contribute to UNIDO’s activities around the world through NEC’s advanced ICT. We are delighted to say that NEC’s innovative technologies, such as Safer City Solution, E-money Solution, Recognition and AI related Technology will be able to give tremendous value. NEC has been taking initiatives to solve global challenges with the slogan of “Solutions for Society” to achieve a society that provides safety, security, efficiency and equality”, said NEC Senior Executive Vice President and Member of the Board Mr. Norihiko Ishiguro.

UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes inclusive and sustainable industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. Under the company’s corporate message of “Orchestrating a brighter world,” NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow.

For more information, please contact:
Weixi Gong
Chief, Investment Promotion Division
W.Gong@unido.org

Joseph Jasper
NEC Corporation
j-jasper@ax.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511