United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)

The Committee on Transport and Logistics held its twenty-fourth session in Cairo on 10 and 11 January 2024.

It reviewed activities carried out by the ESCWA secretariat and developments in the field of transport and logistics in member States since its twenty-third session, which was held in Alexandria (Egypt) on 20 and 21 October 2022. The Committee also discussed logistics performance and prospects for electric land mobility in the Arab region.

As part of its proceedings, the Committee held a round table on financing road safety. 

ESCWA, in cooperation with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority of the United Arab Emirates, convened the eleventh meeting of Arab e-Government programme directors. The meeting aimed at promoting dialogue on the management of digital government programmes and coordination on related policies and measures in the Arab region.  

Participant discussions covered the challenges facing national digital government programmes, priorities of work, opportunities for joint efforts on developing these programmes, and best practices in the implementation of digital government transformation. 

As part of its mandate to strengthen consumer protection frameworks and policies in the Arab region, ESCWA, in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Consumer Protection Directorate of Bahrain, launched the first Arab Consumer Protection Forum with the following objectives:

• Enhancing economic growth and governance in line with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Promoting collaboration and coordination among consumer protection authorities in ESCWA member states.
• Informing consumer protection policymaking and enforcement in the Arab region, guided by international best practices.
• Generating concrete recommendations for future activities aimed at advancing consumer protection policy and enforcement in the Arab region.

The Forum addressed topics such as Consumer protection policies for sustainability; Strengthening legal frameworks for consumer protection, Empowering consumers: improving access to redress and complaint resolution; Consumer protection in e-commerce and the digital market. 

The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) is the primary regional mechanism for the follow-up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the Arab region. It is organized annually in partnership with LAS and UN entities in the region.

AFSD brings together Governments and a wide range of stakeholders to discuss progress, experiences, and implementation strategies for the 2030 Agenda at the national and regional levels.  

AFSD 2024 was chaired by Oman under the theme “Delivering for sustainability and peace”. It aimed at discussing sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions for reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty amid multiple crises. In line with the 2024 HLPF, discussions focused on SDGs 1, 2, 13, 16 and 17. It also served as a regional platform to discuss priorities and contributions to the Summit of the Future, including digital innovation, governance and cooperation, and youth and future generations. 

ESCWA and the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub brought together food systems national convenors and other experts from across the Arab region to assess the progress made in transforming food systems, facilitate regional knowledge sharing and identify emerging patterns and solutions.

The event was part of a series of regional preparatory meetings organized as a follow-up to the United Nations Food Systems (UNFSS+2) Stocktaking Moment, and built on the discussions of the 2023 Arab Regional Preparatory Meeting.

The objectives of the meeting included:

1. Reviewing progress in food systems transformation, including challenges and best practices.
2. Exploring strategies for aligning food systems transformations with climate action plans.
3. Discussing regional opportunities for food systems offered by COP28 outcomes.
4. Identifying governance needs for food systems transformation and climate action.
5. Discussing food systems governance challenges in conflict and post-conflict areas.
6. Exploring mechanisms for future collaborative efforts. 

ESCWA and the League of Arab States, in cooperation with the Commission on Science and Technology for Development, organized the Arab Consultative Conference and Expert Meetings on the World Summit on the Information Society +20 (WSIS+20) Review and Global Digital Compact Processes, hosted by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority of the United Arab Emirates.

The event encompassed:  

- the 37th Meeting of the Arab Working Group on the Arab Information and Communication Technology Strategy

- the 17th Meeting of the Arab Working Group on internet issues, and  

- a workshop to align the National Digital Agenda in the United Arab Emirates with the Arab Digital Agenda 2023-2033.

The event led to a first edition of a negotiated document consolidating views and positions of the Arab region vis-à-vis the WSIS+20 review, the Global Digital Compact and the Summit of Future 2024. 

As part of its mandate to strengthen competition frameworks and policies in the Arab region, ESCWA, in partnership with UNCTAD, the OECD, the Competition Commission of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Tunisian Competition Council, launched the Fifth Arab Competition Forum.

The Forum focused on the theme of advocacy, highlighting the importance of effective competition policies and provided a channel for facilitating coordination and collaboration at the national, regional and international levels.  

Forum objectives included:

• Supporting unified, impactful competition advocacy efforts in the Arab region;
• Contributing to advancing economic growth and governance in the Arab region;
• Enhancing collaboration and coordination among competition authorities;
• Providing insights to shape competition policymaking and enforcement in the Arab region;
• Compiling actionable recommendations for future initiatives aimed at advancing competition policy and enforcement.

The fifteenth session of the Committee on Social Development discussed how multiple and overlapping crises have accentuated inequalities in the Arab region. It sheds light on how the multiple challenges have hampered growth and explores ways to address them.  

The agenda items included, inter alia, a review of the work of ESCWA in social development since the previous session. The Committee concluded with concrete recommendations on ways to advance social development in the Arab region.  

ESCWA, the Sawiris Foundation, Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, the IMF, and the Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center held the third Arab Forum for Equality (AFE) under the patronage of the Ministry of Social Solidarity of Egypt.

AFE 2024 focused on compound effects of overlapping crises in the region, and their impacts on vulnerable people and Governments’ abilities to protect citizens. It explored policy solutions to reduce or mitigate inequality in times of crisis, and ensure that policymakers can exit crisis mode over the medium term.  

Objectives included:

• Continuing dialogue between policymakers in the Arab region and other regions, experts, and civil society organizations on reducing inequalities.
• Drawing links between inequality and crises.
• Showcasing best practices on reducing inequalities in times of crisis and developing longer-term policies to counter threats and ensure stability.
• Sharing innovative and practical policy solutions to reduce inequalities.  

The Second Arab Forum for Enhancing Transparency and Good Governance was held under the theme "Integrity: An Essential Ingredient in the Era of Complexity and Opportunities". The forum included discussions, keynote speeches, and pitching sessions on Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) within the sub-themes of transparency, accountable institutions asset recovery, the role of media and civil society, digitalization, climate financing, business integrity, and the future of anti-corruption preventative measures.  

The forum was divided into three overall themes:

• Setting the stage: “SDG 16: peace and security” for a corruption-free Arab region.
• Measures and mitigations: addressing corruption and enhancing transparency in the Arab region in a rapidly changing reality.
• A future free from corruption: building the path towards eliminating corruption in the Arab region. 

The sixteenth session of the Statistical Committee provided a platform for member States to follow up on progress in statistical activities undertaken by national statistical offices and the ESCWA secretariat since the previous session, which was held in Beirut on 16 and 17 November 2022. Participants also discussed the future of household and population censuses, the use of technology to modernize official statistics, means to bridge data gaps on the Sustainable Development Goals, and ways to maintain statistical business continuity in countries affected by conflict.  

As part of its proceedings, the Committee held a round-table discussion on investing in the power of data and digital transformation, organized jointly with experts from the High-Impact Initiative on the Power of Data. 

The Committee on Technology for Development is a platform for member States to follow up on progress in technology-related activities undertaken by Arab countries and the ESCWA secretariat since its previous session, which was held in Beirut on 14 and 15 November 2022.  

This session discusses digital transformation in the Arab region and the maturity of digital government services, new technologies and innovation in government entities, digital inclusion, digital trust and cybersecurity, and the relationship between digital and environmental development.

As part of its proceedings, the Committee holds a round table on accelerators for operationalizing the Arab Digital Agenda. 

The Committee on Women is a platform for member States to follow up on progress in women’s advancement in Arab countries and on the support that the ESCWA secretariat provides in that regard.  

This session discusses the state of implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in priority areas that are directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals. It will also delve into policies that would ensure leaving no woman behind in the region, and the economic and social situation of Palestinian women and girls. 

The Arab Sustainable Development Report (ASDR) is a quadrennial flagship publication produced by ESCWA in collaboration with other UN entities working in the Arab region. It supports the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the regional and subregional levels.

Building on ASDR 2020, which identified structural barriers and recommendations for overcoming them, ASDR 2024 analyses policy directions in priority areas for achieving each of the SDGs in the 22 Arab countries. It identifies opportunities for SDG progress as well as gaps where more, or different, efforts are needed. ASDR 2024 highlights opportunities for regional action to accelerate SDG achievement, with an emphasis on the financial landscape and challenges. The report also addresses national policies to ensure leaving no one behind and secure the human rights and well-being of all in a safe and peaceful Arab region. 

The voluntary national reviews (VNRs) are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The VNR is a tool used to monitor progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and to report on the achievement of the SDGs and their respective targets and indicators. In paragraph 74, the 2030 Agenda called for VNRs to be guided by, inter alia, a participatory and evidence-based approach, a focus on people, gender sensitivity, and a focus on the poorest, most vulnerable and neglected groups.

The VNR can be a tool to catalyse and accelerate the work of Governments and civil society in implementing the 2030 Agenda. It is an opportunity to correct action and policies, and to align national priorities with the SDGs.

The Compendium of Good VNR Practices complements the efforts of ESCWA to support the VNR process.  

ESCWA is developing The World Development Challenges Report, arguing for rethinking human development measurement using a hybrid quality-focused and analytical approach. It proposes to evaluate the three broad challenges of quality of human development, environmental sustainability and governance. The aim is not only to better understand challenges countries are facing but ultimately to offer an analytical toolkit that could trigger policy dialogue to address these challenges at the global, regional and national levels.

Accordingly, this report proposes a new global development challenges index which measures shortfalls from desirable achievements in three areas: quality of basic human development (as represented in the three traditional components of the human development index), environmental sustainability and governance. 

UN Women and League of Arab States (lead partners)

UNICEF, KVINFO, DIHR, and Save the Children 

The Monitor provides real-time data and analytics on skills demand, supporting member countries in identifying workforce gaps and aligning education with labor market needs. It facilitates informed policymaking for effective workforce development, particularly targeting young people and marginalized groups. Through initiatives like employment nowcasting and collaboration with GCC countries, the Skills Monitor aids in bridging labor market mismatches, promoting job creation, and increasing employment opportunities.

Key achievements include developing partnerships with member states and other stakeholders, leveraging non-traditional data sources for labor analytics, and addressing disparities in digital skills. Challenges include data limitations in some countries and the need for enhanced capacity building to utilize insights effectively.  

The main partner in this project is the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The project activities will be implemented in close cooperation with the relevant stakeholders in the selected Arab countries such as the ministries of labour and social affairs, national councils for disability affairs, relevant non-governmental organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, private sector employers, national statistical offices, civil societies and academia.  

Arab countries have put recognized efforts in establishing policies to further the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market, aligning their legislations with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). These include minimum quota for public as well as private employers. Results, however, are slow to materialize as enforcement sometimes runs into inconsistencies in legislation and sector policies.

ESCWA is working to identify policy gaps, remove barriers and work out solutions that help governments to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market. This project is carried out in three Arab countries and focuses on two main areas:

1. Enhancing the capacities of government officials, private sector employers and civil society organizations to develop evidence-based policies that facilitate better inclusion of persons with disabilities in labour markets.
2. Addressing the main factors impeding employment of persons with disabilities. 

ESCWA supports its member States in promoting women’s economic empowerment and reducing gender economic inequalities by undertaking the following:  

1. Addressing unpaid care work considered as a major barrier to women’s economic participation, and guiding efforts at the legislative, policy and programme levels towards increasing this participation;  
2. Promoting women’s entrepreneurship as a key channel to women’s economic participation.  

ESCWA prepares studies on the different aspects of women’s economic empowerment, namely women’s unpaid care work and entrepreneurship. It holds regional consultations and expert group meetings to translate knowledge into concrete actions and capitalize on regional and international experiences, and produces advocacy tools to highlight the importance of women’s economic participation and empowerment for societies, households and economies.  

ESCWA hosts the annual Arab Forum for Equality, bringing together policymakers, experts, academics, partners from the private sector, and young leaders to discuss inequality and explore policy solutions. This activity complements ESCWA analytical work on interlinkages between inequality and other emerging and critical issues.

ESCWA established Josour, a regional platform that brings together the private sector and young people to provide opportunities in productive and meaningful employment. Josour offerings include job openings, internships, technical and vocational education and training activities, dialogue forums, and employment and education fairs.  

ESCWA has contributed to the creation of the Inequality Solutions portal to provide policymakers, researchers, advocates, and activists, with access to policies and programmes from around the world that have proven successful in reducing inequality and exclusion. The portal is updated regularly to reflect any development inspiring policy innovation. 

The Network founders include ESCWA, in collaboration with the Government of Malta, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.

The Network partners include OPDs, universities and disability research institutions in Arab and European countries. 

The Network acts as an interregional platform for knowledge exchange and capacity-building. It brings together academics, researchers and institutions from Europe and the Arab region, with a shared objective of conducting research that drives change to ensure greater social inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The Network was established under the umbrella of the Valletta Political Declaration, which affirms the rights of persons with disabilities, and which also established the European-Arab Cooperation Forum on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (also known as the Valletta Forum). The Declaration was signed on 25 April 2019 at a forum co-hosted by the Maltese Government and ESCWA. A total of 22 countries and entities have adopted the Declaration, namely Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, the State of Palestine, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Tunisia, together with ESCWA and the League of Arab States. 

The League of Arab States (LAS)  

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

The World Health Organization (WHO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)  

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The Arab Information and Communication Technologies Organization (AICTO)

The Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO)

The Arab Federation for Digital Economy (AFDE)

The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) 

The Arab Digital Agenda (ADA) is a long-term strategic framework to guide Arab states in their digital development efforts over the 2023-2033 period, acting as a roadmap for sustained digital transformation. Developed by ESCWA in partnership with the League of Arab States and a wide range of UN, international, and Arab organizations, ADA aims to leverage digital technologies to achieve the SDGs in the Arab region. It covers various aspects of digital development, including digital infrastructure and connectivity, digital economy, digital governance, and digital inclusion.

The ESCWA Digital Development Framework, which contains five clusters covering economic and social sectors, serves as the core foundation for the ADA’s development approach. The Collaboration and Partnerships Framework (CPF), the Measurement and Monitoring Model (MMM), the Arab Digital Development Report (ADDR), and the National Digital Development Reviews (NDDR)  are just a few of the mechanisms that support the implementation of the agenda. 

GEMS index measures the maturity of digital government services and highlights what needs to be developed as well as the strengths, to support policymakers in the Arab region in developing and updating appropriate action plans to accelerate the implementation of digital transformation, and to provide, use and increase the efficiency of digital government services.

The index assessed annually since 2019 with increasingly engaged Arab public entities. More than 830 digital services and 350 entities were assessed in 2023. Data collection across the region is facilitated by a digital platform. A report summarizing the main findings of collected data is published in both English and Arabic, providing policy recommendations from both national and regional perspectives. 

https://www.unescwa.org/gems 

https://gems.unescwa.org/ 

SOAS University of London

National Planning Institute of Egypt

Economic Research Forum 

The Development Challenges Project produced the global Development Challenges Index (DCI), emphasizing quality-focused human development measurement in three areas: human development quality, environmental sustainability, and governance. ESCWA’s World Development Challenges Report presented the index’s framework and results.  The project has generated ten technical materials detailing the index methodology and measurement areas. Additionally, ESCWA developed a toolkit enabling member states to assess and design tailored national DCI frameworks.

In 2023–2024, country-level reports were developed for Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, and Yemen and a training workshop was held with Egypt’s National Planning Institute on measuring development progress. Currently, ESCWA is preparing an Arab Development Report with a focus on the nexus between good governance and development. The report will be complemented by technical papers on economic resilience and structural transformation for sustained growth.