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The First Workshop on the International Comparison Program
for Western Asia was held at the UN House in Beirut during
the period 15-19 December 2003. Mr. Fadhil Mahdi, Chief of
Economic Analysis Division, addressed the participants in
a welcoming note. He stressed on the importance of the ICP
as an aid to better international economic understanding
and encouraged the necessity of full national
participation and support from participating countries to
ensure the program’s success.
Eighteen representatives from ten ESCWA member States, in
addition to representative from the League of Arab States,
experts and consultants from the World Bank and ESCWA
lectured and discussed their papers during the workshop.
During five sessions, twelve papers/presentations were
presented covering various topics, which included an
overview of the global program; work progress on the
global as well as the regional fronts; the provision of a
thorough understanding of the new issues on pricing and
conducting surveys; training the participants on the use
of the ICP-SPD Software in all stages of office and field
work; the governance arrangement, implementation plan and
timetable; and the enhancing of the representatives’ basic
skills, roles and responsibilities required in finalizing
the process of the selection of product specifications
from the regional Structured Products Description (SPDs).
Sessions were characterized by important interventions and
discussions from the participants. Impressive
demonstrations of the ICP software and the CPI/ICP
ToolPack and round table discussions were finalized
successfully.
Agenda
List of Participants
Papers Presented
Meeting Report
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