The objective of the Expert Group Meeting on National Accounts was to bring together National Accounts experts from all of ESCWA member states, together with ESCWA, UNSD and other regional experts in the field. The EGM aimed at tackling the following main issues:

• Availability of basic data sources for National Accounts estimation in the ESCWA region;
• Short-term and early warning economic indicators;
• Strategy for improving basic data sources and short-term economic statistics in the ESCWA region;
• Follow-up on the 2010 regional seminars in Muscat (Oman) on the 2008 SNA implementation in the ESCWA region: way forward and national actions plans;
• The research agenda on the 2008 SNA;
• Discussion on selected challenging issues on SNA 2008 implementation.