In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic had the world firmly in its grip for the second year. The consequences are dramatic and go far beyond a health emergency. We are witnessing a poly-pandemic with a severe impact on livelihoods, education, inequalities, poverty, economic growth and global stability. Development progress of several decades is being undone. Hundreds of millions of people have fallen back into poverty.

This crisis is also showing us the value of multilateralism and the importance of practical and effective solutions. It is opening our eyes to existing fragilities and growing inequalities.

Our world is more connected than ever before. We can no longer close our eyes to the global crises that are a threat to our future. We have to take decisive action to address poverty, climate change and the accelerating loss of biodiversity and the resources essential for the survival of humankind.

This edition of the Annual Report describes the work carried out by UNIDO in 2021. It is also the last report covering the medium-term programme framework for 2018–2021 and the programme and budgets for 2020–2021.

UNIDO has the knowledge and technologies to address the current global challenges. The Organization has an important contribution to make to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

In the years to come, UNIDO will become an even stronger international platform for knowledge and technology transfer and the facilitation of investments and global partnerships to provide effective and concrete solutions to these global challenges.

Please read the full report here.