On 17 November 2016, ESCWA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the twenty-second session of the annual Conference of the Parties (COP 22), the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Marrakech, Morocco between 7 and 18 November 2016.

On 10 November 2016, ESCWA launched its Survey of Economic and Social Developments in the Arab Region 2015-2016, which highlights the colossal direct and indirect economic and social impact of the five-year old conflicts and political transitions in the region.

Director of ESCWA Economic Development and Integration Division Mohamed el Moctar Mohamed el Hacene presented the Survey. He said, “The economic and political uncertainty in the region continues to restrain the general prospects for growth, job creation and stability.” 

ESCWA convened the first Technical Advisory Group on Economic Statistics (TAGES) for the Arab Region on 9 and 10 November 2016, in Cairo.
 
The meeting was attended by 21 participants representing 10 countries and 8 regional and international organizations. Palestine was elected as chair of the group and Morocco as co-chair, while ESCWA acted as secretariat. The ESCWA Statistical Committee recommended the establishment of this technical advisory group during its eleventh session in 2015.