The 28th Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) today opened in Tunis its senior officials segment at the Regency Hotel, Gammarth, in the presence of a host of representatives from the Commission's member countries, regional and international organizations, and non-ESCWA members.

The opening began with a statement for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which chaired the ESCWA 27th Session. Undersecretary of the Economic Policies Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Economy Muhammad Saleh Al Shalwah delivered the statement, in which he thanked ESCWA member countries for their cooperation under the UAE chairmanship of the former session, noting the activities ESCWA has been undertaking for 40 years towards the achievement of economic and social development in the region. He also praised the work of the ESCWA Technical Committee during the past year.

ESCWA Deputy Executive Secretary Nadim Khouri then delivered the statement of the Commission, and considered that the major changes in Arab countries require strengthening commitment "to work together towards the development of effective strategies and mechanisms that boost participation, and guarantee policies that achieve economic development, generate decent employment, ensure equality in the distribution of revenues and social justice for all, with the preservation of natural resources and environment for future generations."

Khouri also noted that ESCWA has always represented the region with its diversity, history and capacity to face crises. It truly shared the region’s concerns and ambitions, conveying them to international fora and acting as a liaison between the national, regional and international. A most telling example can be found in its efforts to follow up on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in conveying the regional viewpoint to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. He added that for 40 years, ESCWA worked in close collaboration with countries of the region, and regional organizations such as the League of Arab States (LAS). It carried out many projects and activities whether through analytical work, technical cooperation, capacity-building, and research in food, water, energy, knowledge management, technology, statistics, women issues, trade and transport, youth issues and immigration, and conflict and occupation. The Commission has always been and will continue to be an open platform for discussion and dialogue for all social and economic issues, and for the exchange of good practices and lessons learned between countries of the region and other regions of the world.

As per the ESCWA internal regulations which stipulates that the member countries shall assume the chairmanship of the Session on a rotating basis, in the Arabic alphabetical order employed by the United Nations, the Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by Sheikha Rana Bint Issa Al Khalifa Assistant Under-Secretary for Arab Affairs and Afro-Asian Organizations in the Bahraini Foreign Ministry, assumed the chairmanship of the 28th Session. Represented by Multilateral Cooperation Department Director at the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jalal Snoussi, the Republic of Tunisia was selected as Vice Chair, while UAE, represented by Muhammad Salah Al Shalwah, was selected as Second Vice Chair. The Republic of Sudan, represented by Abdul Aziz Muhammad Mabrouk, Director-General of Foreign Trade in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was chosen as Rapporteur.

Following the election of officers, discussions of the first day included the economic and social developments in the Arab Region, the outcome of the Arab High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development held in Amman in April 2014, and ESCWA activities in the framework of the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The ESCWA strategic framework for the biennium 2016-2017, and the Commission’s technical cooperation and regional advisory services were also discussed.

Deliberations tomorrow will include a proposal for the establishment of an intergovernmental committee on information and communications technology for development, and a proposal for the establishment of an Arab trade and economic integration centre. Recommendations resulting from tomorrow’s senior officials meeting will be submitted to the Ministerial segment that will convene on Wednesday.

ESCWA is one of the five UN regional commissions. It is part of the UN Secretariat and works under the supervision of the Economic and Social Council. ESCWA provides a framework for the formulation and harmonization of sectoral policies for member countries; a platform for congress and coordination; a home for expertise and knowledge, and an information observatory. It aims at supporting economic and social cooperation between the region’s countries and promoting development process in order to achieve regional integration.

Libya, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Tunisia became members of ESCWA in September 2012. By this new membership, the number of ESCWA countries rose to 17, including: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The Sudan, The Syrian Arab Republic, The United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
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