ESCWA Weekly Newsletter, Issue No 314 Headlines: - Arab Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Biodiversity Finance for Climate Resilience - ESCWA Energy Committee discusses advancing just transitions and climate resilience - ESCWA Committee on Water Resources holds sixteenth session in Beirut - Arab Mayors Academy launches first webinar series Read more: English: https://mailchi.mp/un/escwa-weekly-news-314en Arabic: https://mailchi.mp/un/escwa-weekly-news-314ar

The recent conflict has displaced around 20% of the Lebanese population, including an estimated 140,000 older persons, many of whom are living in dire conditions. This is revealed in a new policy…

As the war in Gaza approaches its seventh month, the poverty rate in the State of Palestine continues to escalate, reaching 58.4 percent, thrusting nearly 1.74 million additional people into poverty, as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) sustains a staggering plunge by 26.9 percent—a loss of US$7.1 billion from a 2023 no-war baseline—according to new estimates by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

Doha, Qatar: The United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), HE Dr. Rania Al Mashat, underscored the State of Qatar's role in advancing sustainable development and multilateral cooperation, while stressing the importance of expanding cooperation between ESCWA and Qatar in areas including social protection, digital transformation, innovation, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Al Mashat said her visit to Doha reflects the strong and longstanding partnership between ESCWA and the State of Qatar, which she described as a key partner in advancing sustainable development across the Arab region. She said she had met with a number of Qatari officials to discuss support for the sustainable development agenda at both the regional and international levels, as well as ways to strengthen the exchange of expertise and technical knowledge to advance development initiatives across the Arab region. Highlighting Qatar's role in promoting multilateral cooperation, Dr. Al Mashat commended the country's steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and its efforts to promote peace in the region, stressing the importance of sustaining initiatives aimed at enhancing regional stability and addressing common...

Beirut, 24 July 2025–-The United Nations has called for urgent and coordinated recovery efforts in Lebanon to prevent the ongoing crisis from deepening in the already war-torn and heavily impacted cou...

Analysis in English on World and 12 other countries about Gender, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding and more; published on 29 Nov 2024 by ESCWA

في هذه الحلقة من سلسلة اللقاءات حول المنتدى العربي للمالية العامة والموازنة 2025 🎙️✨ يحدّثنا وزير المالية في سوريا محمد يسر برنية عن رؤيته حول: 🔹 الآليات المعتمدة لتعزيز الإنفاق الاجتماعي في ظل التحديات الاقتصادية الراهنة. 🔹 تعزيز التنسيق بين السياسات المالية والاجتماعية لضمان تنمية مستدامة، بالتزامن مع إعادة صياغة سوريا لاستراتيجياتها المالية. 🔹 أهمية انعقاد المنتدى في الإسكوا ودوره في دفع الحوار المالي الإقليمي وتبادل الخبرات. استمعوا إلى مقابلة مليئة بالأفكار والإضاءات حول كيفية إدارة الموارد وتطوير سياسات مالية أكثر فعالية في عالم يتغيّر بسرعة. 💬📊

Analysis in English on Algeria and 12 other countries about Education, Food and Nutrition and more; published on 28 Jan 2025 by ESCWA

The annual Arab Competition Forum, a joint initiative by the OECD, UN-ESCWA and UNCTAD, provides a platform for knowledge-sharing on competition policy and enforcement for the Middle East and North Af...

The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the unintended impact of sanctions imposed against the Syrian Arab Republic, through an evidence-based approach based on a mix of quantitative and qualit...

Country: World Source: UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia Beirut, 30 October 2023 --At a time when women around the world are lauded for their ever-growing achievements as peacemakers, the Arab region is marred by armed conflicts causing an increasing number of victims, particularly among women and children. As part of its mission to empower women and achieve sustainable development in the region, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) provided a platform for women leaders and pioneers to share their opinions on the role of women in achieving peace in times of conflict, in the context of the ongoing situation in Palestine. ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti launched the initiative with the following quote: “Anyone of you may have a mother, a daughter, a sister, or a wife who might endure the horrors of violence such as killing and hostage-taking in times of conflict and war. These terrible acts of injustice and violations of human dignity and rights must end immediately. The rightful place for women is at the negotiating table among decision makers. Their voices and leadership roles are not only essential but also irreplaceable to achieve lasting peace.” Jordan, Wafa Bani Mustafa, Minister of Social Development “Most of the victims of the current aggression on Gaza are women and children. The lives of Palestinian women and children are no less important than those of women and children around the world. The international community cannot continue ignoring blatant violations of international humanitarian law.” Kuwait, Maryam Saud Al-Azmi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs “Women play a major role in consolidating the values of peace, security and stability, and in promoting development in their societies. Women are a pillar of peace.” Lebanon, Claudine Aoun, President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women “There is an urgent need to involve women in mediation and dialogue to combat hate speech, to limit conflicts and political and socioeconomic repercussions threatening the stability and security of our countries.” Yemen, Shafeqa Saeed Abdo Saleh, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women “Peace stands as the universal cornerstone of humanity; unless it is embraced as a shared value by all people without exception, all notions of security are meaningless. Peace means criminalizing the killing of women and children, and rejecting the bombing of hospitals, schools, homes, mosques and churches. Peace means the right to self-determination. As a Yemeni woman advocating for peace, I, along with my fellow compatriots, have endured the ravages of conflict and war. Their destructive impacts have scarred our lives, and affected our well-being and relationships. The only sustainable path to achieving peace lies in the creation of a secure, independent, and stable Palestinian State.” About ESCWA One of five United Nations regional commissions, ESCWA supports inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Arab States, and works on enhancing regional integration. For more information: - Ms. Maryam Sleiman, Public Information Assistant, +961-81-769-888; email: sleiman2@un.org - Ms. Rania Harb, Public Information Assistant, +961-70-008-879; email: harb1@un.org

Laith Marouf joins the families of Lebanese prisoners in Zionist dungeons as they protest outside the ESCWA building in downtown Beirut, where the Lebanese Parliament holds its meetings.

Apartheid against the Palestinians. (ESCWA) published the report that conclude that “ Israel has established an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole”.

Analysis in Arabic on Egypt about Education, Food and Nutrition, Epidemic and more; published on 13 Dec 2024 by ESCWA