GENEVA, SEPTEMBER 2 – Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in Geneva, today participated in the 7th meeting of the “Friends of UNITAR”, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
In his speech, Ambassador Cornado illustrated the positive collaboration between Italy and the Institute, focusing on the project financed by Italy last year and conducted by UNITAR for the benefit of 14 SIDS (Small Islands and Developing States) in the Asia-Pacific region with a focus on strengthening statistical capacities to support monitoring and Voluntary National Reviews of progress in the implementation of the SDGs.
More than 200 government officials had been trained from 14 SIDS, including from National Statistical Offices, Ministries of Planning, Finance and Budgeting, and line Ministries producing and using data in their areas. The programme included 6 training workshops, 2 e-courses and 1 learning conference.
In addition to such a more recent experience, Cornado mentioned the support Italy provided to UNOSAT contributing to some of its projects for the use of satellite imagery for the protection of human rights. In this respect, also the cooperation between UNOSAT and the Special Procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council is an history of success, he said.
Ambassador Cornado also stressed the central role that high-quality training and capacity-building strengthening can play in the fight against global challenges, including that relating to COVID-19. (@OnuItalia)