UN's Western Asia commission recommends holding forum on Palestine reconstruction

Wrapping up its ministerial session today, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) recommended convening an Arab-international forum on the economic and social rehabilitation and reconstruction of Palestine.

The recommendation was among a number of conclusions reached at the high-level meeting in Beirut, which aimed to strengthen Arab regional cooperation, as well as address the impact of lack of stability on the socio-economic developments in the ESCWA region.

Concerning the occupied Palestinian territory, participants recommended the necessity of holding an Arab-international forum on the socio-economic rehabilitation and reconstruction of Palestine as soon as possible as a step towards an independent Palestinian State.

Participants also called on ESCWA's Executive Secretary to exert efforts to encourage and enrich Arab contribution to the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction and link it with concerned international programmes. They stressed the importance of the role of the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian civil society institutions in developing the practical rehabilitation and reconstruction plan of action.

Other recommendations dealt with establishing a committee on women at ESCWA, setting up a UN Arab language centre at the Commission, cooperation between Member States concerning common water resources; initiatives on promoting technology and the information society in the Arab region and enhancing ESCWA advisory services and technical cooperation.