ESCWA organizes in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank “Regional training Workshop on Trade Facilitation, Infrastructure and Trade Costs Policies in ESCWA region” at the Movenpick Deira Hotel, Dubai, during 8-9 April 2013. The workshop will offer the countries in the region an opportunity to discuss the concept of trade costs, methods of measurement and policy priorities for reducing this cost. The workshop will aim at building technical capacity of nationals dealing with behind the border trade facilitation with a view to enhancing trade flows and promoting growth.

ESCWA Director of Information and Communication Technology Division Haidar Fraihat will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 28 November 2012 to launch the Information Economy Report 2012 entitled: “The Software Industry and Developing Countries” at ESCWA Headquarters, Riad Solh, Beirut.

First Information Technology Officer at ESCWA Rami Zaatari will highlight the main findings of this year’s report with a focus on the Arab region.

In the course of promoting and building an inclusive information society in Western Asia, the UNESCWA and the Union of Arab Information and Communication Technology Associations (IJMA3) agreed to initiate collaboration in developing and implementing specific activities aimed at facilitating the dissemination of information and communication technology (ICT) and increasing knowledge sharing, with special emphasis on creating employment and alleviating poverty. To this end, both parties will sign a Letter of Understanding (LoU) tomorrow at 11am at the UN House, Beirut.

ESCWA, United Nations Statistics Division in New York (UNSD) and OPEC prepared for the Workshop on Energy Statistics in ESCWA Member Countries. Experts from the Economic Commission for Europe participated in this workshop and the Seminar on Energy Reserves/Resources Classification in OPEC countries. Representatives of ESCWA member countries were invited to participate in this workshop, and 10 member countries were represented. Two participants from Iran, an OPEC member country, participated as well.