Austria (TDI): Pakistan has been elected President of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Industrial Development Board (IDB) for the 53rd annual session; its first time holding the position.
According to media and diplomatic sources, Ambassador Kamran Akhtar, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna, has officially assumed the presidency.
The appointment reflects Pakistan’s expanding role in multilateral institutions and its active engagement with international development platforms.
The election manifests the trust reposed in Pakistan by the UNIDO Member States. Like all Vienna-based international organizations, Pakistan maintains an active diplomatic profile at UNIDO and remains committed to the organization’s core mandate (2/2) pic.twitter.com/ILrIhksXms
— Pakistan Embassy Austria (@PakinAustria) June 30, 2025
The Monday vote at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization headquarters in Vienna has been considered a milestone for Pakistan in the international arena.
The leadership comes at a time when global recovery priorities are industrial development, sustainability, and inclusive growth; further, an engaged role of Pakistan with UNIDO has placed the country as a serious voice on these issues of importance.
Pakistan has, over the years, increasingly improved its coordination with Vienna-based organizations, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is no different.
Pakistan has a current development portfolio of $350 million at UNIDO under its management, including active and approved projects for industrial infrastructure development, promoting sustainable technologies, and building capacity.
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These are all part of the larger Country Partnership Program, which also has the potential to expand with the launch of quite a number of new collaborative projects later this year.
A diplomatic source with knowledge of the situation said that Pakistan’s election is not only a measure of international confidence but also evidence of the nation’s increasing leadership in shaping the global industrial development agenda.
It is a sign of the country’s strong commitment to pursuing inclusive industrialization by multilateral cooperation.
Pakistan had, in December 2021, also already been elected as a member of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Industrial Development Board (IDB) and the Program and Budget Committee (PBC).
This presidency is an important step, confirming Pakistan’s geostrategic role in global development discourse and its eagerness to lead matters of international economic interest.
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