Industry Minister, “UNIDO” Representative Discuss Industrial development

DAMASCUS, (ST)- Industry Minister Kamal Eddin Tomah and the Regional Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization “UNIDO” Cristiano Passing discussed the second phase of the modernization program and industrial development, which was implemented by the “UNIDO” in Syria in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry before the crisis in Syria . The program was funded by the Italian government and stopped to turn its funding fully to the Syrian government.

The Minister confirmed the importance of the program in the “development and the national industry sector, both public and private, that exposed to a large destruction, pointing to the return of some 35 companies from the industrial public sector to production.

He explained that these establishments and companies are in need of UNIDO’shelp and to provide technical and financial support through the program to complete the second phase, pointing out that the ministry has proposed the returnof the program to the center of tests and industrial research affiliated to the ministry.

Director of International Relations and Planning at the Ministry of Industry Dr. Iyad Muqalled stressed “the need to overcome the obstacles facing the Syrian government in payment of contributions resulting from the organization because of the sanctions imposed on Syria.”

For his part, Mr. Pasini confirmed that his visit aims to “deliver a message to the Syrian government concerning the UNIDO’s interest in following up the second phase of the program,” noting that the proposals presented by the experts of the Minister of Industry will be discussed with the organization and its Director General to take the appropriate decision.

The program of modernization and industrial development in Syria is a multilateral technical cooperation program. It  was officially launched in 2007 and implemented in cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Italian Development Foundation and funded by the Italian government of 2.2 million euros The goal is to modernize and develop the forty companies of the textile and clothing industry of the public and private sectors, to work on the preparation of a comprehensive diagnostic study, to develop a plan for the modernization and development and follow-up the implementation of the plan.

Sh. Al -Khatib