Arab countries receive 20% of world investments, ESCWA

The Arab region has the least investments in the world which only amounts to 20 percent of domestic income, the Beirut-based Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) announced on Tuesday. ESCWA’s Director of the Economic Development and Globalization Department at the ESCWA Abdullah Al Dardar said during the opening of a workshop organized by ESCWO and Public Institution for Encouraging Investments in Lebanon (IDAL) that calculating direct foreign investments has a great impact on countries’ overall economy and growth percentage, and accurate figures are crucial to draw adequate investment policies, encourage economic growth, and create jobs. ESCWO has organized similar workshops in eight other Arab countries which positively influenced performance of their economies. It is noted that the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA), headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, is one of the five regional commissions under the administrative direction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. UN-ESCWA promotes economic and social development of Western Asia through regional and subregional cooperation and integration. It devises, promotes, and executes development assistance activities and projects in tune with the needs and priorities of the region of Western Asia.