In line with ESCWA mandate to follow-up on progress of international conventions and provide support to Member Countries in implementing and meeting their commitments to international goals and agreements, the Commission participated in the 18th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, held in Doha, Qatar (COP18/CMP8) on 26 November-7 December 2012.

Abdallah AlDardari, Director, ESCWA Economic Development and Globalization Division and Chief Economist, today said Economic situation of the Arab region can be characterized by its polarizing economic performance between major energy exporters and other Arab countries. Major energy exporters, mainly of GCC countries, have registered a stable growth with constantly growing domestic demand through active fiscal policy. On the other hand, political instability and social unrest clouded economic situation of other Arab countries, namely Mashreq, Maghreb and Arab Least Developed Countries.

The Tenth Session of ESCWA Statistical Committee was hosted on 30 and 31 January 2013 at the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) in the Egyptian Capital Cairo. The Committee gathered heads of national statistical offices in the ESCWA region, and concerned parties and experts from local and international organizations.

Within the framework of her visit to the Kingdom of Morocco to participate in the Second High-Level Meeting on Transition to Democracy, which was organized by ESCWA in the City of Rabat on 5-6 February 2013, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf met with Moroccan Minister Delegate for Public Affairs and Governance Mohammad Boulif. The visit intended to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Morocco and ESCWA.