This brief features a mapping conducted by ESCWA of government measures taken to protect persons with disabilities from COVID-19, and efforts to provide accessible information and awareness materials. It features a wealth of measures that support persons with disabilities, but also highlights the need to strengthen disability-inclusive responses to the pandemic.

The Review presents two selected key papers, namely: the specifications and indicators of wastewater treatment for use in irrigation; and the environmental impact assessment arising from the liberalization of trade on small and medium enterprises. The latter paper deals with the case of the textile and garment industries in Morocco and in the countries of the southern Mediterranean. The Review also provides a briefing on the main ESCWA activities during 2004, including studies, reports, meetings, projects and advisory services related to the sustainable management of water and energy resources, environment and related sectoral developments. Additionally, it includes a statistical profile of selected sectors in the water and energy fields.

The Arab region is one of the world's most arid regions. They are subject to significant changes in rainfall rates from year to year, which is clearly reflected in the scarcity of water resources. Scientific research confirmed that the whole region will be exposed to severe climate changes, either from low rainfall or from high temperatures and a clear increase in the frequency of cycles of drought. These factors adversely affect agricultural productivity for rainfed and, to some extent, irrigated crops.

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