Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative Evangelina A. Bernas delivering the Philippine Statement on Agenda item 3: Annual Report of the Director General during the 41st Session of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Programme and Budget Committee, 13-15 May 2025

15 May 2025, Vienna - The Philippines called for stronger support for middle-income countries (MICs) in green innovation and investments, and for compliance with audit observations by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) during the 41st Session of the Programme and Budget Committee on 13-15 May 2025.  

Ambassador and Permanent Representative Evangelina A. Bernas stressed the importance of addressing the unique challenges of middle income countries, which comprise 63% of UNIDO members. She called on UNIDO to build upon the outcomes of the High-Level Conference on Middle Income Countries which UNIDO co-organized last Month in Manila, by deepening cooperation in areas such as green innovation, industrial decarbonization, investment facilitation, and industrial policy support for MICs, and by outlining UNIDO’s plans to implement its “strategic framework for partnering with middle-income countries.”

Deputy Permanent Representative Zoilo A. Velasco also called on UNIDO to address the audit observations of the External Auditor on UNIDO’s performance and stated the Philippines’ readiness to support UNIDO in addressing these audit observations. Some audit observations pointed to excessive travel and per diem rates, geographical underrepresentation in staffing, and incomplete Host Country Agreement implementation, which impacted UNIDO’s efficiency and capacity to deliver its mandate. 

The Philippines joined the consensus among UNIDO members to adopt a budget with zero real growth for the 2026-2027 biennium. The approved budget does not provide an increase from the previous biennium’s budget, except for a 4% adjustment to account for inflation in the next two years. END.

Deputy Permanent Representative Zoilo A. Velasco delivering the Philippine Statement on some agenda items during the 41st Session of UNIDO’s Programme and Budget Committee, 13-15 May 2025