While over 2,000 data experts from more than 100 countries gathered at the United Nations World Data Forum 2018 in Dubai from 22 to 24 October to advance new data solutions, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) soft launched an innovative data portal to facilitate public access to useful data on the Arab region, a crucial step to enable change and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The objective of the group of experts on fossil fuels is to provide a forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue and exchange of information that will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implement international agreements, particularly the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
 
The first meeting aims to establish the group of experts on fossil fuels and formulate its yearly regional program

The 8th Meeting of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the ESCWA Technology Centre (ETC) is taking place in Amman, Jordan on the 15^th of November 2018. The Board is comprised of official representatives from 13 Arab countries. During the Board meeting, the implemented work program of ETC during 2017/2018 will be presented.  The work program includes organization of intergovernmental and expert group meetings, and publication of several technical studies and reports.