This issue considers a number of global developments related to information and communications technology (ICT) and discusses certain fundamental issues that affect the efforts of the Western Asian region to develop the information society, and the role which ESCWA plays in that domain. The central subject of the issue is e-government. In addition, there are several regular chapters on such topics of interest to the expert and layman alike as ICT policies, the activities of the ESCWA ICT Division, ICT book and website reviews as well as issues related to everyday life.