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29 Jul 2011

ESCWA Deliberates Millennium Development Goals in the Arab region

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MDGs for Web.JPG

ESCWA held an Expert Group Meeting on 19 and 20 July, to discuss the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the Arab region, as part of a report to be published on the subject later this year. The meeting discussed regional priorities, different forms of partnerships for development through trade and finance integration, cooperation on water management, labour migration and food security issues. Deliberations attempted to link the MDGs achievements to the wave of social movements taking place in the region, which resulted in a brainstorming about the development vision for the region. Within this context, interventions highlighted the need to refocus on political economy issues, governance and institutions building, the primacy of social policy, the role of state and politics in development. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the national and regional developmental priorities that would accelerate the process towards the MDGs. It discussed a methodology that provided a quick snapshot on the attainability of the MDGs. This also brought about the subject of the challenges facing Arab countries and formed the background for a wider discussion on a new development framework for the region. Participants focused on the elements of this framework, namely inclusive and equitable growth and economies along with social protection and social policies. The last session addressed a future project for ESCWA that aims to build a niche in the region in policy-advising, based on evidence-based empirical research. The project attempts to conceptualize a region-specific development framework, using qualitative analysis and quantitative modeling techniques. Participants in the meeting included experts from the social, economic, environmental and technology fields, from different UN agencies, international and regional organizations.
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