Within the implementation framework of the recommendations of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the Arab Group adopted a "Regional Initiative for Capacity building on Measuring ICT Indicators". It was one of the initiatives adopted in the Arab declaration "Towards the Activation of the Geneva Plan of Action, 2005", and one of the major initiatives in the regional plan of action for building the Information Society launched by ESCWA in 2004. In addition, this initiative is one of five Arab initiatives led by and supported by the International Telecommunication Union and sponsored by Egypt. The support of Arab institutions, regional and international organizations depicted the important role that the Information and Communication Technology indicators can play in building the information society, as well as highlighted the need for capacity building in the Arab region , in particular with respect to defining, developing and measuring ICT indicators.

This workshop will focused on the technical and methodological aspects of capacity building in measuring the information society, as well as the use of surveys for the collection and presentation of data for core indicators on access by, and use of ICT by households and in businesses.