The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia was established in 1973 and its mission is to strengthen cooperation and raise the level of economic activity in member countries. ESCWA was also charged with meeting the needs of Western Asian countries and promoting development.

There are fourteen Arab member countries in ESCWA including Kuwait, Yemen, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, the Syrian Republic, Oman, the Sudan, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine and Jordan. The main focus of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia is to:

Encourage interaction and best practice between member countries
To promote the needs of countries in the Western Asian region throughout the outside world
To support social and economic development within the Western Asian region
To ensure and promote interaction between the Western Asian region and the rest of the world
To promote cooperation between member countries

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia was originally established in Beirut before moving to Baghdad in 1982, and from there to Amman in 1991 before returning back to Beirut in 1997.

The Programme Planning and Technical Cooperation department is responsible for coordinating the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia's strategic framework, technical development, monitoring and evaluation, overseeing relations and interregional coordination for ESCWA's work.

P.O. Box 11-8575
Riad el-Solh Square
Beirut, Lebanon