Under the patronage of Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Nicholas Nahhas, the Technical Committee on Liberalization of Foreign Trade, Economic Globalization and Financing for Development in the Countries of the ESCWA Region opened today its seventh session. Statements at the opening session were delivered by Acting Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon Fouad Fleifel, representing Nahhas, the Director of ESCWA’s Economic Development and Globalization Division Adballah Dardai and president of the session Ahmad Al Douchari of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Cairo, 17 Oct 2011 (UN Information Service) — Officials and experts participating in a meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) called for seizing the opportunity of political and social changes of the Arab Spring to review adopted patterns of development with a view to addressing sustainable development challenges in the Arab region. Participants agreed that failures in achieving development is mainly attributed to developed countries’ evasion of their obligations towards developing ones, as provided for in international conventions.

The United Nations Democracy Fund invites civil society organizations to apply for funding for projects to advance and support democracy. Project proposals may be submitted on-line between 15 November 2011 and 31 December 2011 at www.un.org/democracyfund.

You can find guidelines, FAQs and lessons learned from previous rounds at http://www.un.org/democracyfund/Applicants/applicants_index.html.

Beirut, November 29, 2011 (United Nations Information Sevices at ESCWA) -- ESCWA organized its yearly official ceremony to celebrate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, under the patronage of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati. The event was attended by U.N. Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCWA Rima Khalaf, U.N.