Thursday

08:30 – 09:30: Ministerial Breakfast Round Table on A Development Strategy in Upper Middle Income Country: The Case of Costa Rica
During this breakfast round table, the Government of Costa Rica will present the role of social investment, economic inclusion strategies and opportunities for renewable sources of energy in its development policies, and how this is being implemented in practice.

Policymakers’ Dialogue:  08:30 – 09:00
H.E. Ms. Mayi Antillón, Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce, Costa Rica
H.E. Mr. Edgar Ayales, Minister of Finance, Costa Rica

This Special Report will discuss the role of middle-income countries in the achievement of sustainable development goals and the emerging post-2015 development agenda. A particular focus will be placed on the importance of sustainable industrial development in middle-income countries as a major contributor to mitigating global environmental degradation and promoting social cohesion.

Framing Remarks: 10:45 – 10:50
Ms Barbara Kreissler, Coordinator, Business Partnerships, UNIDO

10:50 – 12:30: Industry Leader’s Panel 1 on Fostering sustainable economic growth in Middle-Income Countries through value chains
Over the last 25 years, there has been a marked increase in intra-regional trade and investment, with multinational companies (MNCs) being the driving force for this phenomenon through their growing number of value chains among developing countries and economies in transition. Particularly companies in middle-income countries have greatly benefited from numerous trade agreements, as well as from fiscal and other incentives for outward investment. Today, almost 10 percent of companies ranked in Fortune 500 are from middle-income countries. Their emergence represents an important economic growth opportunity for MNCs and suppliers in middle-income countries. Current research is inconclusive about the major differences between MNCs from developed countries and from middle-income countries. Therefore, this session will discuss the need for a strategic approach from a development perspective that emphasizes value chain analysis and highlights differences between South-South and South-North typologies in order to better customize technical assistance activities that can be provided to these types of multi-level, multi-stakeholder partnerships. As such, and in addition to the existing support framework that includes SME clustering and upgrading, training in management, quality, safety, production and sustainability as well as in corporate social responsibility, the session will provide a platform to explore key questions.

12:30 – 14:00: Lunch hosted by H.E. Mr. Roberto Gallardo, Minister of Planning, Costa Rica

14:00 – 15:30: Industry Leader’s Panel 2 on Greening Industry in the Post-2015 Development Context

It is widely recognized that economic growth is closely linked with increases in resource usage and environmental pollution. The concrete challenge for industries in middle-income countries is therefore to develop a growth trajectory that is both economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The scale and speed of growth of emerging economies lends this particular issue added urgency. It is therefore of primary importance for middle-income countries to adopt methods of industrial production that are both resource-efficient and clean.

Panel Moderator
Mr. Paul Hohnen, Sustainability Strategies, The Netherlands

Speakers
Mr. Jaime Molina, President of the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of Private Enterprises, International Organization of Employers
Mr. Jorge Soto, Director of Sustainable Development, Braskem, Brazil
Mr. Jorge Alé Yarad, Director, Council for Cleaner Production, Chile
Mr. Heinz Leuenberger, Director, Environmental Management Branch, UNIDO
Mr. Nihat Dicmen, Member of the Board of the Association for Green Growth
Ms Hanan El Hadari, Chairman, Industrial Council for Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade, Egypt

15:30 – 17:00: High-Level Panel on Integrating MICs into the Post-2015 Development Agenda
The session will discuss the key concerns of middle-income countries in the context of preparations for a new development agenda to commence on the expiration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. These preparations include a series of thematic and national consultations undertaken by the UN system, the Rio+20-mandated Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the recently-published report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the post-2015 Development Agenda. The High-level Panel report clearly promotes a coherent development agenda that needs to integrate all three dimensions of sustainable development, i.e. economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability, so as to facilitate the critical economic and social transformation leading to sustained prosperity for all.

Comments
H.E. Ms Silvia Hernandez, Deputy Minister of Planning, Costa Rica

17:00 – 18:00: High-Level Dialogue on Sustainability and Industrial Development
This Dialogue will focus on the strategic partnerships necessary for advancing the world’s sustainable development agenda, with a primary focus on multi-sector partnerships within and among middle-income countries. It is expected that a further focus will be placed on the future schemes for implementing internationally agreed environmental agreements, revisiting successful models such as the Fund of the Montreal Protocol and similar examples. Finally, the Dialogue will discuss these issues in light of the proposed SDGs and the importance of middle-income countries therein.