Beirut, 11 November 2021 (TDI): The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdullah Bouhabib, inaugurated a training workshop. The principal goal was to build the capacity of diplomats in several areas. At the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) headquarters in Beirut, the meeting had the presence of the Director of Diplomatic Training Rabih Haddad.
According to official media, the training is part of a series of lectures to enhance the role of economic diplomacy in the country.
About ESCWA and the main findings on the situation in Lebanon
ESCWA was established in 1973 to stimulate economic activity in member countries, strengthen cooperation between them, and promote development. Therefore, the organization produces innovative knowledge, fosters regional consensus, and delivers transformational policy advice.
Moreover, ESCWA provides Arab countries with policy recommendations that build on a thorough analysis of facts and commonalities. It also underscores the benefits of integration and creates regional public goods, including knowledge, data, tools, and capacity.
Currently, the organization brings together Lebanese to resolve the current crisis. A recent study made projections of poverty rates and the costs of closing poverty gaps in 14 Arab countries, including Lebanon, under several scenarios with regard to COVID-19 and economic growth. The study found that the Lebanese economy has been on a downward spiral since 2017.
Furthermore, Lebanon ceases to be a predominantly middle-income society by its own
national definitions of poverty and vulnerability. This is in addition to the humanitarian crisis affecting those at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder.
ESCWA suggested the Lebanese government address macroeconomic stability by enacting economic governance reforms, limiting rent-seeking activities, and enhancing transparency and accountability.
