Ciyong Zou

Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

Vienna, Austria

3 profile visitsSpeaker

My organisation

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

International organization

Vienna, Austria

UNIDO is a specialized agency of the United Nations with a unique mandate to promote, dynamize and accelerate industrial development. Our mandate is reflected in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”, but UNIDO’s activities contribute to all the SDGs. UNIDO’s vision is a world without poverty and hunger, where industry drives low-emission economies, improves living standards, and preserves the livable environment for present and future generations, leaving no one behind. UNIDO provides support to its 172 Member States through four mandated functions: technical cooperation; action-oriented research and policy-advisory services; normative standards-related activities; and fostering partnerships for knowledge and technology transfer. Our work is concentrated on three focus areas: ending hunger by helping businesses from farm to fork; stopping climate breakdown by using renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions; and supporting sustainable supply chains so that developing country producers get a fair deal and scarce resources are preserved.

About me

Ciyong Zou is a Deputy to the Director General and the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development oversees the Organization’s normative contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, in addition to supporting and advancing the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development in the environment, energy, and SME areas. Advancing competitiveness and job creation are also key impact dimensions for the Directorate, in addition to the advancement of digitalization and artificial intelligence. Mr Zou is also the Director General’s Special Representative for the G77 and China.

At UNIDO since 2013, Zou is the architect of UNIDO’s Programme for Country Partnership, and has guided the Organization’s field and strategic engagements.

Before joining UNIDO, he performed multiple roles, including as Deputy Director General of International Department at the Chinese Ministry of Finance, Alternate to the Chinese Executive Director at the World Bank, and Global Environmental Facility Operational Focal Point for China.

Zou holds a Ph.D. in Economics from China’s Ministry of Finance Graduate School, Research Institute for Fiscal Science.

International markets of interest

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Sub-Saharan Africa Northern Africa and Western AsiaCentral and Southern AsiaEastern and South-Eastern AsiaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceaniaEurope and Northern America

Speaker sessions (3)

Wednesday, 17 September 2025

09:30 - 10:00

High level opening

Live stream

Opening session sets the stage for AI-driven industrial transformation, highlighting skills, inclusion, global cooperation, and youth innovation, and framing the day’s agenda to turn AI vision into practical, sustainable, and widely accessible solutions.

10:00 - 10:20

Launches and releases: Introducing Phase II Initiatives

Live stream

This session will offer a series of brief presentations by the AIM Global secretariat to inform participants about new tools and developments as the Alliance moves into Phase II.

15:20 - 16:00

Summary & Closing Remarks

Live stream

The closing session presents UNIDO’s draft Call-to-Action 2025, linking conference outcomes to future events, and inspires continued collaboration via the AIM Community Platform and Phase II activities, ending on a momentum-driven, action-oriented note.