Global changes taking places at the economic, social and cultural levels are towards the development of an information society that makes better use of information and knowledge for attaining the development goals. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) play a key role in realizing this information society through providing the required tools and mechanisms.  The expanding digital divide between developed and developing countries poses an increasing challenge for the developing communities in terms of facing the danger of reduced productivity and economic capacities, which are coupled with unemployment, poverty and marginalization.

In this context, the General Assembly endorsed the International Telecommunication Union proposal to convene the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) that seeks to reduce the digital divide through increasing awareness on the benefits of the information society and presenting the mechanisms that help developing countries move towards the realization of this society within the global knowledge-based economy.  The WSIS was held into two phases, the 2003 Geneva and the 2005 Tunis phase, with the main WSIS outcome as the Geneva Plan of Action that specified eleven action lines for developing the global information society, which were re-emphasized in the Tunis agenda in 2005. 

The UN-ESCWA holds the "Consultative Workshop on the National Profiles of the Information Society in Western Asia" during the period 26-27 November 2008, at the UN-House in Beirut, within the framework of follow-up activities to WSIS outcomes.  The Workshop launches the preparation of the national profiles of the information society for ESCWA member countries.  The national profiles constitute the basis for the preparation of the ESCWA flagship publication "Regional Profile of the Information Society in Western Asia" for 2009, which would be the result of the fourth biennial profiling exercise that assesses the regional progress towards the development of the information society, while providing an evaluation of the current situation in each country in comparison with other countries.  The regional profile provides essential information to assist decision-makers in the planning and policy-making processes towards developing the information society, as well as to assist public and private institutions in the identification of areas of priority, including the ICT sector, for redirecting and reviving their plans and initiatives towards meeting the needs.

The Workshop is organized by the Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD) of UN-ESCWA, and the participants include a selected group of ICT experts from member countries.  Participants will discuss the (1) ESCWA template for preparing the national profiles of the information society, (2) major ICT indicators, their importance in the preparation of the regional profile, and their sources and generation, and (3) building capacity in the preparation process of the national profiles of the information society, and their subsequent update.

For more information on the profiling exercise, please check the previous reports (2003, 2005 and 2007) that are accessible through: http://www.escwa.un.org/wsis/profiles.html