Assessing the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and e-services remains a relatively uncharted domain due to the absence of internationally agreed indicators which hinders the ability of policymakers to properly evaluate the impact of ICT initiatives and adapt them to local conditions.

This report sheds light on the urban divisions and development challenges faced by the countries of the ESCWA region. Specifically, it addresses the spatial dimension of the urban development vis-à-vis strategies aimed at inclusive urbanization, social equity and economic balance. With reference to selected case studies and examples, it presents an array of spatial development interventions taking place in the region; and highlights the ways they respond to urban fragmentation and inequalities, and their limitations.

Worldwide and in the ESCWA region, persons with physical disabilities face higher levels of unemployment, lower levels of education and higher infant mortality rates than the rest of the population. In the ESCWA region, both the documentation of the hardships faced by persons with disabilities and the analysis of the triggers of their exclusion are often scarce.

Because of its high dependency on imported fossil fuels, and the lack of adequate electrical generating capacity, the energy situation in Lebanon has been critical over the past decades. This situation has worsened since the beginning of the conflict in Syrian Arab Republic, and the influx of Syrian refugees resulted in a sharp increase of the demand for electricity, therefore widening the gap between generation and demand to approximately 5,524 GWh in 2014. This situation is further challenging the country’s sustainable energy management.