UN Middle East commission meeting should spotlight successes – official

A meeting planned for later this year bringing together countries of the Middle East should spotlight successes of the region which more often receives attention for setbacks, a senior United Nations official has said.

Speaking in Beirut on Thursday, Mervat Tallawy, head of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), announced that Saudi Arabia will chair ESCWA's Ministerial Session next May.

Addressing members of an Advisory Committee, she voiced hope that the May session would be an opportunity to shed light on the successes of countries in the region and their major achievements, seeing as “the world typically focuses on the shortcomings.”

Regional and international developments will top the agenda when officials gather at ESCWA's Beirut Headquarters, Ms. Tallawy said. The meeting will also address youth unemployment and will review economic progress made by Yemen, which is one of the world's least developed countries.

The Advisory Committee facilitates communication between member countries and the ESCWA Secretariat. Diplomats from a dozen ESCWA countries attended the session.