The Vienna-based United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) plays a major role in implementing the Millennium Development Goals and – from 2015 onwards – the Sustainable Development Goals, defined by the International Community  and aimed at fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development.

In the priority countries of development cooperation, Austria is not only active in the context of bilateral programmes but also uses tools provided by UNIDO in implementing joint projects and supporting common objectives. UNIDO and Austria have joined forces in Moldova, Armenia, Uganda and Bhutan as well as on Pacific Islands. Projects aimed at increasing the efficiency of small and medium-sized companies, developing sustainable tourism, supporting youth employment and contributing towards private sector development and promoting renewable energies are thus implemented together.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Austria‘s unique cultural landscape with its mountains and the city of Vienna located on the banks of the River Danube provide the ideal setting for hosting those international organisations that are dedicated to nature conservation – and more specifically, to the protection, preservation and sustainable use of such mountain landscapes and the Danube itself. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is not only a global advocate of the special relevance of mountain regions but also acts as the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. The activities of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) are directed towards protecting one of the largest water catchment areas in Europe – from Montenegro to Ukraine, from Germany to Bulgaria – combining nature conservation with sustainable water management and flood protection.