The SESRIC delegation headed by HE Mr. Nebil Dabur, Director General of SESRIC, participated in the 4^th Session of the Committee on Technology for Development and 15^th Session of the Statistical Committee, organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (UNESCWA) on 14-17 November 2022 in Beirut, Lebanon. The two Meetings were attended by the representatives of UNESCWA member countries, and regional and international organisations.

The 4^th Session of the UNESCWA Committee on Technology for Development on 14 and 15 November 2022 reviewed the progress in technology-related activities in the Arab States and of the UNESCWA Secretariat since its previous session on 15-16 February 2021. During the Meeting, HE Mr. Nebil Dabur, Director General of SESRIC, briefed the Committee concerning the technology-related activities of the Centre since the 3^rd Session falling under its three mandated areas of statistics, research, and training.

The 4^th Session also discussed opportunities and challenges associated with the Metaverse; project on enhancing the enabling environment for tech-driven entrepreneurship; use of technology and innovation for enhanced operations in Arab public institutions; and Arab States action programme on advancing digital cooperation and digital development in the next five years.

On 15-16 November 2022, a session titled “Data Management Modernization Using New Technologies” was held jointly by the Committee on Technology for Development and Statistical Committee of UNESCWA, with the objective to leverage technology to improve data management and respond to the ever-increasing demand for data and information on sustainable development issues.

Following these events, the 15^th Session of UNESCWA Statistical Committee on 16-17 November 2022 reviewed the statistical activities in the Arab States and of the ESCWA Secretariat since its previous session on 10-11 February 2021, followed by the discussions to improve monitoring of progress in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development evolving production and use of purchasing power parities; and geospatial information in support of statistics for the 2030 Agenda. Dr. Atilla Karaman, Director of Statistics and Information Department of SESRIC, also briefed the UNESCWA Statistical Committee on the activities of the Centre for the benefit of common member countries since the 14^th Session in February 2021.

For more information, please visit: https://www.unescwa.org/events/committee-technology-development-4th-session and https://www.unescwa.org/events/statistical-committee-15th-session