In 2009, which marked the thirty-fifth anniversary of ESCWA, the Commission has further intensified its efforts towards the achievement of regional economic and social integration, as well as greater interaction between the region and the rest of the world. In response to global challenges and events of recent years, ESCWA continued to serve the region through its programme of work which comprises seven subprogrammes: integrated management of natural resources for sustainable development; integrated social policies; economic development and integration; information and communications technology for regional integration; statistics for evidence-based policymaking; advancement of women; and conflict mitigation and development. Using a results-based approach, the Annual Report 2009 reviews the accomplishments achieved by ESCWA in those areas. It also offers an overview of the challenges and opportunities, namely economic trends and perspectives; renewable energy; impact of man-made disasters on development; information society; quality and availability of data on the Millennium Development Goals; economic empowerment of women; and information and communications technology. The Report concludes with a perspective of the way ahead and its imminent challenges with a stress on the commitment of ESCWA to work with member countries towards the attainment of the development goals.