ICPE Acting Director General Mr. Janez Podobnik attended G-77 Plenary Discussion Forum in Vienna

On the 4th April 2014, ICPE ADG Mr. Janez Podobnik visited Vienna and participated in G-77 Plenary Discussion Forum on World Conference on Youth (Colombo, Sri Lanka, 6-10 May 2014). The Forum, chaired by HE Mr. ALA Azeez, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Vienna, presented the mainstream of Youth in the Post - 2015 Development Agenda and Youth Entrepreneurship including for Industrial Development. The idea was to complement the trajectory from the Lima Declaration to the process towards the Post -2015 Development Agenda, keeping in view the opportunity arising from the World Conference on Youth in Colombo. Focus was also on a wide range of issues of relevance for youth development, in addition to youth entrepreneurship.

(From left) HE Mr. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka, HE Mr. ALA Azeez, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Vienna, Mr. Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO

In the Opening Session of the Plenary participated HE Mr. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka and Mr. Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO. They underlined needs to create an inclusive youth participation platform that enables youth to review the progress of Millennium Development Goals, share ideas, experiences and innovation approaches for effectively contributing to the Post - 2015 agenda and its implementation. Such platform among other issues has to ensure consistent follow-up mechanisms with young people and further boosts their engagement and partnership in the implementation of the Post - 2015 development agenda at national, regional and global levels.

HE Mr. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka

Mr. Li Yong, Director General of UNIDO

The members of the Panel Discussion were HE HRH Ms. Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, Ambassador of Thailand, HE Ms. Ana Dengo Benavides, Ambassador of Costa Rica, HE Mr. Khaled Abdelrahman Abdellatif Shama, Ambassador of Egypt, Mr. Mohamed-Lamine Dhaoui, Director, Business, Investment and Technology Services Branch of UNIDO, Ms. Gillian Murray, Deputy Director, Focal Point for Youth Issues in UNODC and Mr. Janez Podobnik, Acting Director General of ICPE. The sum-up and valedictory remarks were done byHE Mr. Rachmat Budiman, Ambassador of Indonesia.

(From left) Mr. Janez Podobnik, Acting Director General of ICPE, Mr. Mohamed-Lamine Dhaoui, Director, Business, Investment and Technology Services Branch of UNIDO, HE HRH Ms. Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, Ambassador of Thailand, HE Mr. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development of Sri Lanka, HE Ms. Ana Dengo Benavides, Ambassador of Costa Rica, Mr. Mohamed-Lamine Dhaoui, Director, Business, Investment and Technology Services Branch of UNIDO, Ms. Gillian Murray, Deputy Director, Focal Point for Youth Issues in UNODC

In his presentation “How to get sustainable youth for the 21st century?“ (ICPE Platform of Education and Partnership), Mr. Podobnik presented ICPE and its activities, with special focus on the programmes related to the education, knowledge and training of youth. These programmes, as Mr. Podobnik mentioned, will ensure development of capacities and skills of young people, which should help in creating more stable job opportunities, stronger impact of young people in decision-making process as well as their deeper influence in society. In the face of the challenges to the Post - 2015 agenda, Mr. Podobnik invited for cooperation and partnership with ICPE in concrete tailor-made projects corresponding to the needs of a particular country, community and counterpart institution as well as in developing strong partnership network, which should help in creating the future of youth, according to the needs and their expectations.

(From left) Mr. Janez Podobnik, Acting Director General of ICPE and Mr. Mohamed-Lamine Dhaoui, Director, Business, Investment and Technology Services Branch of UNIDO

(From left) HE Mr. Rachmat Budiman, Ambassador of Indonesia and Mr. Janez Podobnik, Acting Director General of ICPE

Accompanied with Mr. Nenad Stankovic, ICPE Representative in Vienna, Mr. Podobnik met H.E. Mr. Simon Madjumo Maruta,Ambassador of Namibia in Vienna, H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera, Ambassador of Cuba in Vienna, and H.E. Mr. Hussam A. G. Al Husseini, Ambassador of Jordan in Vienna. The main subjects of those meetings were creating mutual programs and developing co-operation between ICPE and respected countries. During very fruitful and pragmatic discussions Mr. Podobnik underlined ICPE strong intention to develop projects and implement activities in accordance with concrete needs and requirements of the countries. Ambassadors appreciated received information and supported ICPE in efforts to establish closer co-operation with their responsible administrations.

H.E. Mr. Simon Madjumo Maruta, Ambassador of Namibia in Vienna

Mr. Podobnik also had very fruitful and constructive discussion with Dr. Pradeep Monga, Director, Energy and Climate Change of UNIDO. It was discussed and agreed further steps in co-operation between two organizations, especially issues related to the new planned training on Energy Efficiency Solutions, which will be held in Ljubljana from 26 August to 3 September 2014. It was agreed to continue exchanging of information related to that specific training as well as other topics important for UNIDO and ICPE.

(From left) Mr. Janez Podobnik, Acting Director General of ICPE, Dr. Pradeep Monga, Director, Energy and Climate Change of UNIDO and Mr. Nenad Stankovic, ICPE Representative in Vienna