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Message from
Ms. Mervat Tallawy,
Executive Secretary of ESCWA
I am pleased to announce the launch of the first e-Forum to be
hosted on the ESCWA Website. This is only the first in a series of
online forums that we hope will promote dialogue on development
priority areas in the Arab countries, and pave the way for the
realization of joint research and development projects.
The current e-forum will be
devoted to Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (BTGE),
an area which holds both opportunities and threats for the Arab
region. In almost 30 years of experience, some BTGE practices have
become routine in several developed and developing countries.
However, agricultural biotechnology is still firmly in the hands of
a few gene “giants”, with scientists still uncovering new
information every day. The Arab countries still have a long way in
this regard, and we are currently witnessing the launch of a number
of initiatives aimed at promoting research and development in BTGE
in the region.
I invite all experts in the
Arab region to contribute actively to this e-Forum, and express
their valuable viewpoints.
I wish you all a fruitful
e-Forum,
Mervat
Tallawy
Executive Secretary, ESCWA
Statement by
Ms. Anhar Hegazi, Chief, Sustainable Development and
ýProductivity Division
I would like to welcome participants to this electronic Forum on
behalf of the ýDivision for Sustainable Development and Productivity
of the United Nations ýEconomic and Social Commission for Western
Asia. ý
The e-Forum on “Modern Biotechnology; Technical and Policy
Implications in the ýNear East and North Africa Region” is designed
as part of activities undertaken in the ýwork programme of the
Division on Sustainable Development and Productivity ýý(SDPD) to
promote harnessing technology for sustainable development. The
e-Forum ýis implemented by the SDPD Team on Technology for
Sustainable Development with ýthe objectives that are summarized in
the Information Notes available on this website. ýSeveral of these
objectives stand out in terms of their priority for future
socio-ýeconomic development in the region. In particular, I would
like to highlight the ýintegration of science and technology inputs
as essential components in national ýdevelopment policies.ý
ý ý
It goes without saying that developments in science and technology,
particularly in ýbiotechnology and genetic engineering (BTGE), have
made considerable headway ýduring the past decade. BTGE developments
impact a relatively wide range of issues. ýOn account of SDDP
priorities this biennium (2004-2005) both agricultural and
ýenvironmental implications of biotechnologies stand out. ý
I wish all participants fruitful interaction within the e-Forum and
look forward to its ýrecommendations, in the hope that it will lead
to furthering cooperation and ýnetworking within and between the
countries of the region and with experts and ýcolleagues within the
whole wide world. ý
Ms. Anhar Hegazi, Chief,
Sustainable Development and
ýProductivity Division
Statement by
Mr. Omar Bizri, Team Leader, Technology for Sustainable
ýDevelopment Team
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all participants in
this e-Forum, the ýfirst of its kind to be launched by the United
Nations Economic and Social ýCommission for Western Asia (ESCWA).ý
This e-Forum is part of a series of activities initiated back in the
nineties with the aim ýof promoting new technologies as bases for
future socio-economic development. With ýparticular regard to
biotechnology, the present e-Forum is also one of a series that
ýincluded expert group meetings and detailed surveys and studies
performed by ýESCWA in the latter part of the nineties. ý
Developments that took place during the past few years have
highlighted the ýimplications of several recent developments in
biotechnology for socio-economic ýdevelopment. The presently large,
and widening, allocation of arable land in the ýdeveloped and
developing countries to GM crops poses questions concerning a
ývariety of policy issues, ranging from trade to employment
creation, from agricultural ýdevelopment to human health and the
protection of biodiversity and the environment, ýin general. ý
We, in the UN-ESCWA Team on Technology for Sustainable Development,
sincerely ýhope that the set of issues presented will help the
community of scientists and ýtechnologists in the region engage in
focused discussions on salient issues for ýsustainable development
in their respective countries. We further hope that the above
ýissues, coupled to the substantive material provided will lead to
the elaboration of ýcollaborative research and development agenda
that the science and technology ýcommunity in the countries of the
region may undertake through the establishment of ýcommunities of
practice and related networking arrangements.ý
A report will be issued at the conclusion of this e-Forum with a
full account of its ýproceedings and recommendations. An evaluation
of the e-Forum will also be ýattempted on the basis of input by all
participants.ý
I wish all participants a successful e-Forum and hope that this
activity and many more ýwill serve the quest of sustainable
socio-economic development in our region.ý
Mr. Omar Bizri, Team Leader,
Technology for Sustainable
ýDevelopment Team
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