WEDO

The United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC) is a global organization dedicated to enhancing the contribution of science, technology and innovation for sustainable development in the world’s least developed countries. The UN Technology Bank became operational in 2018 and serves the 47 least developed countries (LDCs) and former least developed countries for up to five years after their graduation from the category. According to the UN, LDCs are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets. Headquartered in Gebze, Turkey, the UN Technology Bank actively engages with national, regional and international partners to deliver its programme and projects which strengthen science, technology and innovation capacity in least developed countries. The UN Technology Bank supports national and regional technological efforts, reinforces partnerships across sectors and helps nations identify and use appropriate technologies to transform their economies and improve livelihoods. In 2021, the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, the World Eco-Design Conference (UN Consulative Status NGO) and the International School of Design, Zhejiang University, Ningbo signed an Agreement on International Design Education Cooperation, jointly launched the International Design Education Program, assisting the least developed countries to develop design education. The cooperation aims to enhance capacity for design education in the least developed countries, co-establish an international design education cooperation base settled in the International School of Design, Zhejiang University, Ningbo. According to the terms of the cooperation agreement, the 3 cooperation partners will take the agreement as a starting point of constructing a long term strategic cooperative partnership. Bachelor or master degree holders from the world’s 46 least developed countries are eligible to apply for the industrial design engineering program.The UN Technology Bank and the World Eco-Design Conference (UN Consulative Status NGO) will promote this Program to the least developed countries, so that all students who meet the admission criteria could submit their applications. Zhejiang University will offer scholarships to students who study the International Design Education Program, qualified tutors and plenty of professional research facilities and resources will be backed up as well. By strengthening the cooperation between the UN Technology Bank and the World Eco-Design Conference, further supports to the education of the least developed countries will be continued. In August, 2020, the UN Technology Bank and the World Eco-Design Conference (UN Consulative Status NGO) jointly donated 100,000 facial masks to the Kingdom of Lesotho, for protecting workers of key positions, e.g. local medical workers, police officers and border guards etc., from the infection of COVID-19.Hath Mathibeli Mokhothu, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho states that “Today’s generous donation will help these individuals continue their work, with increased protection, whilst we scale up manufacturing in-country.” On November 30, 2020, the UN Technology Bank and the World Eco-Design Conference (UN Consulative Status NGO) signed a Letter of Intent, to co-establish the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries Eco-Design Promotion Center settled in Conghua District, Guangzhou.The Center is aimed at supporting the least developed countries to increase their capacity and competitiveness, and helping them to meet the demands of science, technology, innovation and industrial design, taking actions when facing a series of issues encountered in the progress towards the sustainable development for the globe, make contributions to achieve the SDGs of 2030.