ESCWA promotes economic and social development through regional and subregional cooperation and integration and serves as the main general economic and social development forum within the United Nations system for the ESCWA region.  It formulates and promotes development assistance activities and projects commensurate with the needs and priorities of the region and acts as an executing agency for relevant operational projects.  ESCWA coordinates its activities with those of the major departments/offices of the United Nations at Headquarters and of specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations, such as the League of Arab States, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, with a view to avoid duplication and ensure complementarity, synergy and exchange of information.
 

The Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) was established by Economic and Social Council resolution 1818 (LV) of 9 August 1973 as the successor to the United Nations Economic and Social Office in Beirut (UNESOB). In 1985, the Commission was redesignated the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1985/69 of 26 July 1985, in order to acknowledge more fully the social aspect of the Commission's activities. The majority of activities under the regular programme of work are regional in dimension. There are, however, a limited number of activities that are country-specific, but have regional implications.
 

ESCWA is a part of the Secretariat of the United Nations and is one of the five regional commissions which report to the Economic and Social Council, the principal organ of the United Nations responsible for coordinating economic and social activities in the United Nations system. The other regional commissions are: the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). ESCWA carries out its work at the Western Asia regional level.

The administrative budget of ESCWA is funded from the financial resources of the United Nations, the major portion of which comes from the contributions of member States. Detailed expenditures are allocated to various sections for pre-determined purposes.

Furthermore, ESCWA receives additional financial resources from outside the regular budget, which are used to implement specific projects in accordance with agreements reached with governmental and non-governmental donors. The amount of these resources varies from one period of time to another, depending on numerous considerations and circumstances.