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Developing the ICT Sector in the ESCWA Region

11
-
12
March
2009
Location: 
Beirut
Theme: 
Technology for Development
Event Type: 
Expert Group Meeting



The UN-ESCWA is organizing a meeting on Developing the ICT Sector in the ESCWA Region, during 11-12 March 2009, in Beirut, Lebanon, to highlight obstacles facing the development of a self-reliant and sustainable ICT sector in the ESCWA region, and to propose solutions to overcome these obstacles in order to build a flourishing regional ICT sector.  The main outcome of the meeting would be a set of recommendations and a preliminary plan of action that are geared towards the development of a viable and sustainable ICT sector in the region.

The meeting will cover the following topics:
- Status, prospects, obstacles and envisaged solutions for developing the ICT sector in the ESCWA region viewed from national and regional perspectives;
- ICT financing, venture capital and entrepreneurship in the ESCWA Region;
- Human and financial resources for healthy development of the ICT sector;
- National ICT strategies and policies adopted by various governments in the ESCWA region with an assessment of their viability and of their effective implementation;
- Regulatory status of the ICT sector in ESCWA member countries;
- Export-import considerations for ICT products and GATT-related issues;
- Contributions of the ICT sector to the gross domestic product of ESCWA countries;
- Measuring the performance of the ICT sector nationally and benchmarking its performance regionally and globally;
- Sustainability of the ICT sector in the ESCWA region: Policies, strategies and monitoring tools.

It will be attended by national and regional experts knowledgeable of the status, problems and prospects of the ICT sector, augmented by experts from the financial world who work closely with ICT businesses. EGM participants will also include government officials who are responsible for the drafting and implementation of national ICT policies and strategies.  The working languages will be Arabic and English.  Participants may make their presentations and carry out discussions in either language but are expected to understand both as there will be no simultaneous translation.

Enquiries and requests for additional information should be addressed to:

Mansour Farah (farah14@un.org), Team Leader on ICT Policies, ICT Division, UN-ESCWA, Beirut, Lebanon.  Tel: +961-1-978538, Fax: +961-1-981510. 

Zahr Bou-Ghanem (bou-ghanem@un.org), Research Assistant, ICT Division, UN-ESCWA, Beirut, Lebanon.  Tel: +961-1-978544, Fax: +961-1-981510

Event Details
Agenda
Information Note
Visa to Lebanon
Final report
Final report