Cairo, 17 Oct 2011 (UN Information Service) — Officials and experts participating in a meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) called for seizing the opportunity of political and social changes of the Arab Spring to review adopted patterns of development with a view to addressing sustainable development challenges in the Arab region. Participants agreed that failures in achieving development is mainly attributed to developed countries’ evasion of their obligations towards developing ones, as provided for in international conventions.

Beirut, 25 Oct 2011 (UN Information Service) —ESCWA Technology Centre (ETC) opened today an expert group meeting on “Promotion of South-South Cooperation in Technology Transfer”. The meeting is organized in collaboration with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL), and held at the Chamber of Beirut. Speakers at the opening session included Director of ETC Fouad Mrad and Director General of the Industrial Research Institute in Lebanon Bassam Frenn.

Beirut, 16 November (UN Information Service) — ESCWA Technology Centre (ETC) today opened a workshop on “Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Transfer for Universities and Research Institutions” in El Hassan Science City, Amman, Jordan. The workshop is organized in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in Jordan.

Beirut, 23 November 2011 (UN Information Service) — UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro arrived in Beirut this morning on a four-day visit, during which she will head the 16th meeting of the UN’s Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) and meet leaders of the country as well as chiefs and staff of UN agencies in Lebanon.

During her stay, Migiro is set to visit Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.