Among its many objectives, the project on “Promoting Food and Water Security through Cooperation and Capacity Development in the Arab Region” aims at the development of an institutionalized national and regional monitoring mechanism through an overall assessment of existing national food security policies and strategies in each Arab country. A comparative analysis of these policies will follow in order to establish an enhanced regional food security monitoring system that is tailored according to regional specificities and responds to current and projected priority concerns of the Arab region. The framework will place food security monitoring system based on specific and relevant indicators to the Arab region.  
 
In this context, ESCWA is organizing the “First Consultative Meeting on Food Security Assessment and Monitoring in the Arab Region” to review the results of the mapping of national food security policies and strategies in some Arab countries. The meeting discusses the various dimensions and indicators of food security monitoring adopted by member countries, in order to agree upon a set of indicators that will be used later on in setting the regional framework for food security monitoring.
 
During the meeting, participating national focal points and experts are expected to discuss their views with respect to the follow up activities on this component of the project taking into account food security issues in the Arab countries, in order to ensure the fulfillment of the expected accomplishments of the project.    
 
Specifically, the meeting aims to:
Present the progress made in reviewing and analyzing food security policies, plans and programmes  in some Arab countries

• Discuss food security policies adopted in many Arab countries;
• Present the general framework for food security monitoring at the national and the regional levels;
• Link the proposed regional food security monitoring system with 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at national and the regional levels.