Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Sami Haddad will open the UNESCWA Regional Workshop on Trade Facilitation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) at 10:00am on 6 November 2006 at the UN House, Beirut. Participants in the meeting, which will continue until 7 November, include representatives of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the region. This activity focuses on trade facilitation for the private sector and is part of the work programme of UNESCWA. A regional workshop was held in the same framework last June for trade negotiators on trade facilitation.

“Land has true value. Invest in it.” That is the theme of this year’s World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, marked annually on June 17th. The Arab region suffers from high levels of dryness, with the desertification of 70 to 80 percent of its land. Most of its countries rank below the poverty line in water resources with more than half of the Arab population facing severe water scarcity. To what extent can our daily choices support the future of our planet?

Tuesday, 26 June 2012 (ESCWA Communication and Information Unit)-- The water and energy sectors are both facing challenges related to climate change, energy security, increasing water scarcity, as well as issues associated with the population accessing each of these commodities. Due to this water-energy nexus, water and energy issues cannot be addressed separately when it comes to formulating strategies related to energy, water and the environment.

Tapping into a yet unexplored area, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is holding a meeting on “Economics of middle class in the Arab region,” on 28 and 29 June 2013 in Sofitel El Gezirah Hotel, Zamalek, Cairo.