ESCWA Technology Centre’s technical committee held its meeting on 4 October 2016 in Amman, with experts representing regional organizations, scientific institutions, and research and industrial centres of 12 Arab countries. The meeting was held in accordance with the ETC Statute to give guidance to the Centre on its work plan and such technical issues that relate to its work. It was also meant to identify countries’ priorities in the areas of science, technology and innovation.
The meeting was held in tandem with the sixteenth meeting of the “Industrial Research Centres’ Coordination Committee in Arab States” and the Arab workshop on “Linking Research Institutes with Industry in Arab States” on 5-6 October 2016. These meetings were co-organized with the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
 
ESCWA Technology Development Division Director Haidar Fraihat delivered the opening statement, welcoming attendees and highlighting the role of technology in promoting global economic, social, political and cultural development. He also noted the role of technology in stimulating structural change in the economy, increasing growth rates, expanding decent employment opportunities for youth, improving healthcare and food security, limiting energy consumption and environmental pollution and many more developmental concerns and challenges.
  He also noted the significant role that ESCWA plays, and which was mandated by the United Nations to assist Arab states in achieving these goals, complementarily with other UN organizations. Fraihat thanked the institutions that support ETC, namely the Royal Scientific Society, represented by its President Princess Summaya Bint Al Hassan, the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST) represented by its Chairman Prince Al Hassan Bin Talal and Secretary-General Khaled el-Shuraydeh.
ETC National Officer Nael Al Mulki delivered a presentation on the aims of the meeting and the duties and responsibilities of the Technical Committee.
Director-General of the Industrial Research Center of Libya, AlHussein Hassan Oraibi, was elected President of the ETC Technical Committee for 2016.
ETC General Director Fuad Mrad showcased the Centre’s activities and achievements during recent years (2011-2016), underscoring that ETC carried out 23 specialized technical studies, 37 technical advisory services, 53 meetings and participated in 73 workshops in Arab States. He also gave an overview of current projects ETC is undertaking in a number of Arab States.
Discussions during the presentation tackled priorities and challenges of the region for the implementation and goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, and the role that science, technology and innovation could assume in the implementation of these goals.
ETC Innovation Expert Nizar Halasa then delivered a presentation on the types of technology transfer in a number of Arab States.
During the meeting, a survey was circulated among member of the Committee concerning the priorities of their countries and the Arab region for the coming years. The results of the survey were in conformity with the ETC workplan for the coming years, namely harnessing science, technology and innovation and promoting their role for the achievement of sustainable development goals, enhancing productivity and competitiveness and supporting a green economy.