Issues for Attention and Action by the Economic and Social Council
Technology for Sustainable Development in the Arab Region
Global and Regional Developments
Work of the Commission and its Subsidiary Bodies
Management Issues
Adoption of the Report of the Thirtieth Session of the Commission
Organization of Work

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), pursuant to its resolutions 158 (xıv) of 5 April 1987 on holding its sessions on a biennial basis and 196 (XVII) of 31 May 1994 on their frequency, held its thirtieth session in Beirut from 25 to 28 June 2018.

Session meetings were held in two segments, one for senior officials and the other for ministers. At the senior officials segment, consideration was given to requests by States Members of the United Nations and/or its specialized agencies that are not members of ESCWA to participate as observers in the thirtieth session of the Commission. The segment also considered global and regional developments of priority to the Arab region 2017-2018, megatrends in the transport Sector, and support for the Palestinian people.
The Commission also reviewed its work and that of its subsidiary bodies, especially the outcomes of the 2018 Arab Forum on Sustainable Development, the links between information and communications technology processes and sustainable development, a proposal for the establishment of an Arab Centre for climate change policies at ESCWA, and activities of the ESCWA Technology Centre. Witregard to management issues, the Commission Revieved programme performance in the biennium 2018-2019. The Commission also took note of a presentation on the new vision for the Reform in the United Nations.
At the ministerial level, three round-table discussions were held on technology for sustainable development in the Arab region, which was the main theme of the thirtieth session. The round tables focused on integrating technology and innovation into national development planning; the role of technology in tackling the challenges of the Arab region; and the frontier technologies: opportunities, challenges and the way forward.

The session concluded with the adoption of the Beirut Concencus on Technology for Sustainable Development in the Arab Region and a set of resolutions for submission to the Economic and Social Council for its attention and action. The present report sets out the resolutions adopted by the Commission, and a summary of the main points raised in the discussions under each agenda item.