India, Nov. 23 -- Ministers and leaders from across the world's 44 least developed countries have pledged to accelerate industrialisation that benefits all, and strengthen resilience in the face of global challenges, at an international UN conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"First, we need to end the war. Then, we have to restart the factories," says Basher Abdullah, advisor to Sudan's Minister of Industry and Trade.

Like many of the world's poorest countries, Sudan's attempts to develop its economy have been severely hampered by conflict. Yet, even in the midst of a brutal civil war, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) continues to offer economic development support and a path to recovery.

First, we need to...