UN-ESCWA Advisory Committee convened its first meeting for 2009 on Thursday 19 March at the UN-House, Riad El-Solh Square. Chiefs of diplomatic missions of the 14-member Regional Commission participated in the meeting, which was presided by UN-ESCWA Executive Secretary Bader Omar AlDafa.

Chief of UN-ESCWA Conference Services Section, Ahed Sboul, laid out the main areas of work of the Regional Commission, which strives to strengthen economic and social development in the countries of the region and anchor cooperation, communication, and information-sharing among them.

The meeting also tackled UN-ESCWA main achievements in areas of transport, information and communication technology, financing for development, trade, social policies and more. Also, it touched on world developments and the role UN-ESCWA is playing in this context. Discussions extended to the international financial crisis, climate change, food security and more.  The meeting also discussed UN-ESCWA activities for 2009 and the official visits by the Executive Secretary to Member countries and the plans for the Regional Commission’s 35th Anniversary.