Commissioner Mamadou Traoré (see list of speakers below) will participate as a speaker in this webinar, which is part of a series of webinars that UNIDO is organizing as part of its contribution to the fight against COVID-19.

You are cordially invited to attend the e-panel.

Speakers:

• Mrs. Merewalesi Falemaka, Permanent Representative and Ambassador, Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Islands Forum to the United Nations, WTO and other International Organizations in Geneva
• Mr. Mamadou Traore, Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• Dr. Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary General, The African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO)
• Mr. Deryck Omar, Chief Executive Officer, CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)
• Dr. Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, Managing Director, Directorate of Digitalization, Technology and Agribusiness, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Context

 The Covid-19 pandemic is confronting each of us with unprecedented challenges. Every country is experiencing its negative impact on their healthcare systems, economy and the society as a whole. It is disrupting global trade, food supply chains and having serious, unintended consequences on industry, manufacturing, tourism, and travel.  For African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries and their enterprises, the economic competitiveness will be severely affected not only in the domestic but also at regional and international level.

 The fight to contain the virus and slow down its spread is one that is global, and calls for solidarity and a re-orientation of priorities amongst governments, institutions, manufacturers, donors, civil society organizations and individuals. Countries on a national level have started to implement action plans to facilitate combatting the issues arising from Covid-19 in the areas of quality infrastructure, innovation, investment and trade.  Nevertheless, given the widespread impact of Covid-19 that goes beyond national and regional borders, there is an urgent need for collective regional standards and conformity assessment approaches for sustainability that complements national measures implemented.

 This panel will therefore focus on discussing what can be done on a regional level in the standards and conformity assessment areas to minimize the effects of the pandemic both during the crisis and post-crisis and how these measures link to national quality infrastructure activities.

Date & Time: Wednesday, 3 June 2020, 16:30 to 18:30 CET

Webinar Registration Link: 

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XxY3k5k6REiuFJRt_PdLhg

DEPARTMENT OF TRADE, INVESTMENT AND INNOVATION

UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION

Vienna International Centre, PO Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria

TII@unido.org