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Visit to Vienna of the Círculo De Montevideo Visit to Vienna of the Círculo de Montevideo Visit to Vienna of the Círculo de Montevideo Summary of events Organized by the Latin American and the Caribbean Programme Vienna, 21-24 June 2011 UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION Vienna, 2012 CONTENTS Page I. Introduction ................................................................ 1 II. Vienna Energy Forum ........................................................ 5 III. Latin American round table ................................................... 7 IV. Presidential reception hosted by Mr. Heinz Fischer................................. 11 V. Sessions of the Círculo de Montevideo ........................................... 13 Open session, 23 June 2011 . 13 Closed session, 23 June 2011 . 17 Open session, 24 June 2011 . 17 VI. UNIDO Industrial Development Board ........................................... 21 Opening ceremony of the thirty-ninth session of the Industrial Development Board . 21 Side event . 22 Annexes I . Participation of the Círculo de Montevideo in the Vienna Energy Forum . 23 II . Extract of the programme of the Vienna Energy Forum . 25 III . Agenda of the Latin American round table . 27 IV . Agenda of the sessions of the Círculo de Montevideo . 29 V . List of Círculo de Montevideo members attending its session in Vienna . 31 iii I. INTRODUCTION The Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) holds regular national and regional meetings with high-level authorities to enhance understanding of the economic and social development needs and politics of Latin America and the Caribbean . These meetings include the UNIDO General Conference, the Industrial Development Board, global forums and smaller meetings . In this context and at the instigation of the Director-General, the Círculo de Montevideo was invited to Vienna during the Vienna Energy Forum 2011 . The Forum was held at the same time as the Ministerial Meeting on Energy and Green Industry (in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in June 2012), the UNIDO Industrial Development Board and other energy and development events organized by UNIDO . Also during the Forum, Mr . Julio M . Sanguinetti, President of the Círculo de Montevideo and former President of Uruguay (from 1985 to 1990 and from 1995 to 2000), led the 15th anniversary celebrations of the organization . Members of the Círculo de Montevideo in Vienna with UNIDO Director-General Mr. Kandeh K. Yumkella. A Latin American round table was organized by the Ibero-American General Secretariat and UNIDO, with the support of the Government of Austria, in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The topics discussed at the Forum focused on energy and development, in particular: " Facilitating international dialogue and influencing policy debates related to industry development and energy " Paving the way for the integration of greener industry in the transition to a green economy and strengthening international cooperation and partnerships 1 Visit to Vienna of the CÍRCULO DE MONTEVIDEO " Paving the way and contributing to achieving universal access to energy and increasing energy efficiency " Using conference outcomes as a basis for shaping and creating UNIDO technical cooperation programmes All debates and sessions in which the Círculo de Montevideo was involved took place at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna from 22 to 24 June 2011, with the exception of the thirty-ninth session of the Industrial Development Board, which was held at the Vienna International Centre . The visit of the Círculo de Montevideo to Vienna was organized by UNIDO and the Government of Austria and, on this occasion, was also organized and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ibero-American General Secretariat . The Círculo de Montevideo was created in 1996 with the aim of identifying new and emerging opportunities in an increasingly globalized market economy . Its members include current and former presidents and Heads of State, as well as presidents and directors of leading national and international financial, development and social institutions . Under the leadership of Julio M . Sanguinetti, the Círculo de Montevideo became a permanent forum for discussion among academics, policymakers and leaders of inter- national organizations on meeting, reviewing and identifying strategies and means for promoting sustainable industrial development in Latin America and the Caribbean and beyond . Fifteen members of the Círculo de Montevideo represented the organization at the Vienna Energy Forum . Among these members were four former presidents and one vice-president, as well as other dignitaries and chief executive officers from the private sector . Presidential reception. Mr. Heinz Fischer, President of Austria (left), with the UNIDO Director-General, Mr. Kandeh K. Yumkella (right). 2 I. INTRODUCTION Key topics covered during the discussions included the obstacles posed by the recent financial crisis; challenges to overcoming unfair distribution of wealth; increasing competition and competitiveness; and improving the harnessing of local resources through increased regional cooperation in Latin America . The Círculo de Montevideo discussions aimed at identifying ways of and strategies for promoting sustainable industrial development in Latin America and the Caribbean . Acknowledging that today’s energy issues touch upon every aspect of sustainable develop- ment, the discussions linked energy and development issues . The United Nations system, in particular specialized agencies such as UNIDO, could play a role in promoting sustain- able productive sectors . In partnership with the Government of Austria and its regional partners, UNIDO could make use of its specialized industrial services by facilitating and promoting instruments and knowledge related to industrial development issues through the strengthening of capacities in the national productive sectors in the region . Further discussions covered improving the transition towards large-scale renewable and clean energy and tackling poverty in a targeted way with the aim of achieving universal and sustainable access to energy and development for all . 3 II. VIENNA ENERGY FORUM The Vienna Energy Forum 2011, whose topic was “Energy for all—time for action”, was organized by UNIDO, the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis . It brought together more than 1,400 participants, including policymakers, civil servants, scientists, energy experts, and members of non-governmental organizations, from over 100 countries . More than 50 members of Government and several former Heads of State attended . The purpose of the Forum was to explore the challenges of the twenty-first century from an energy perspective . It aimed at taking a holistic look at global energy challenges and at promoting debates and finding consensus in order to create action plans related to sustainable development . The meeting attracted extensive media coverage, including live broadcasts by the British Broadcasting Corporation . Former Governor of California Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s speech at the opening ceremony of the Vienna Energy Forum. Mr. Julio M. Sanguinetti, President of the Círculo de Montevideo and former President of Uruguay, delivering his speech during the opening ceremony of the Vienna Energy Forum. Three members of the Círculo de Montevideo participated in the opening ceremony: Mr . Julio M . Sanguinetti; Mr . Enrique Iglesias, Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat; and Ms . Rebeca Grynspan, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator . Mr . Sanguinetti stated that energy development required adequate investment . He stressed that such investment needed an appropriate environment, consisting of political stability, legal security and adequate social conditions . 5 Visit to Vienna of the CÍRCULO DE MONTEVIDEO Mr . Iglesias underlined the importance of having appropriate financial regulatory systems . He lamented the lack of financial mechanisms to support renewable energy, noting that the use of subsidies encouraged the extraction of fossil fuels . Ms . Grynspan stated that, in order to accelerate international cooperation to overcome extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, Governments needed capacity-building support to establish the necessary policy frameworks . She noted that 90 per cent of clean energy investment was currently made in G20 countries, with only 10 per cent flowing to the rest of the world, and emphasized the need to assist developing countries in attracting the investment necessary to establish the use of clean energy . The Círculo de Montevideo members listed below who participated in the discussions are also actively involved in the development and energy fields: " Mr . Manuel Marín is the Chairman of Iberdrola, a leading energy company in Spain and the world’s main wind power producer, and former President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain . " Mr . Alejandro Bulgheroni was the Director of Allis-Chalmers Energy Inc . from 2006 to 2011 and President of Pan American Energy . " Mr . Enrique Iglesias, Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat, has worked with energy and investment projects and development for more than 20 years in Latin America and the Caribbean . " Mr . Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile, was a United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Change
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