Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNITAR Executive Director, and Mr. Makiya Nambu, Director & Managing Executive Officer of Pasona Group Inc., signed the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 3 August during a signing ceremony held at the UN Pavilion within EXPO 2025 Osaka. 

The MOU provides both parties with a renewed framework for cooperation on joint learning initiatives such as skills training, study tours, workshops, and local outreach events, aiming to advance the SDGs. Specifically, the two sides have agreed to explore opportunities to further strengthen their partnership by designing and delivering high-quality, tailored educational initiatives, with a special focus on entrepreneurship skills training targeted at youth and women to foster sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon. Other key thematic areas envisioned under the agreement include the green and blue economies, rural development, and job creation.

This renewed partnership with Pasona Group Inc. reflects UNITAR’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive and practical learning opportunities that empower youth and women around the world. Only by joining hands can we create lasting, positive change and accelerate our efforts toward a more sustainable and prosperous world for all.” — Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNITAR Executive Director

Since our founding, Pasona Group has upheld the corporate philosophy of providing "solutions to society's problems", pursing the mission of "harnessing the potential of the individual" by creating new forms of social infrastructure. Through the signing of this MOU, both UNITAR and Pasona Group will leverage our respective strengths to collaborate further toward our shared goals of fostering sustainable global development and nurturing human resources, working together to help actualize a better future." ― Makiya Nambu, Director & Managing Executive Officer, Pasona Group Inc.