UN-ESCWA (The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), in cooperation with the Technical Secretariat of the Arab Council of Ministers for Social Affairs/Development and Social Policies Division/General Secretariat of the League of Arab States (LAS), Arab Towns Organization (ATO), the Kuwaiti Office of the Minister of State for Municipality Affairs and all related governmental institutions in Kuwait, holds an expert group meeting (EGM) on “Urban Governance and the Millennium Development Goals: Towards Implementing MDGs' Target 11 (Equitable Cities)”, from 10 to 12 Dec

ESCWA Deputy Executive Secretary Nadim Khouri today said Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) played a key role during the Arab spring whether through the communication tools or the online social media. Khouri was addressing the opening session of the sixth meeting of ESCWA Consultative Committee on Scientific and Technological Development and Technological Innovation (ESTIC), held at the UN House, Beirut.

Under the patronage of Egyptian Transport Minister Mohammad Mansour, UN-ESCWA is set to hold an “Expert Group Meeting Towards the Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Transport ‎Cooperation in the Arab Mashreq: The Role of Governments and Private ‎Sector in Activating Shipping Traffic and Application of Information and Communication Technology in the Seaports of UN-ESCWA Member Countries” from 12 to 14 February 2007 at the Ramses Hilton Hotel, Cairo.

Abdallah AlDardari, Director, ESCWA Economic Development and Globalization Division and Chief Economist, today said Economic situation of the Arab region can be characterized by its polarizing economic performance between major energy exporters and other Arab countries. Major energy exporters, mainly of GCC countries, have registered a stable growth with constantly growing domestic demand through active fiscal policy. On the other hand, political instability and social unrest clouded economic situation of other Arab countries, namely Mashreq, Maghreb and Arab Least Developed Countries.