Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) today said the Arab Spring is a knowledge and professional challenge for United Nations agencies which these organizations do not shun, and have rather begun to reconsider the development paradigm itself building on lessons from this experience. ESCWA Deputy Executive Secretary Nadim Khouri said the Arab Spring has amplified responsibilities of governments, international organizations and peoples to identify their clear path towards a national and Arab developmental, revivalist project.

ESCWA Technology Centre’s technical committee held its meeting on 4 October 2016 in Amman, with experts representing regional organizations, scientific institutions, and research and industrial centres of 12 Arab countries. The meeting was held in accordance with the ETC Statute to give guidance to the Centre on its work plan and such technical issues that relate to its work. It was also meant to identify countries’ priorities in the areas of science, technology and innovation.

Director of ESCWA Economic Development and Integration Division Mohamed el Moctar Mohamed el Hacene is holding a press briefing at 11:00 AM on  Thursday 10 November 2016 at the UN House, Riad El Solh square, where he will present key analytical observations of the “Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region 2015-2016,” an annual ESCWA publication. 

As is customary since 1993, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day on 22 March. In Lebanon, ESCWA marked the day through a seminar held at the UN House in Beirut under the theme: “Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge.” Lebanese Minister of Water and Energy Gebran Bassil gave patronage to the event, which was co-organized by the Association of the Friends of Ibrahim Abdel Al (AFIAL) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).