United Nations Industrial Development Organization

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), autonomous unit within the United Nations (UN), established in 1966 by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council. UNIDO was converted from an autonomous organization into a full UN specialized agency in 1985, and has upwards of 170 member nations. The organization furnishes advisory and technical aid to industries in developing countries. Projects are financed by funds pledged by member nations, with supplemental commitments from the UN Development Programme. Inadequate funding, however, has been an ongoing problem affecting UNIDO's industrial development programmes and technical assistance activities in developing nations. Several important member states, including the United States, left UNIDO during the 1990s, citing the need for reform. As a result, the organization underwent significant reforms during the following decade. UNIDO's headquarters are in Vienna.