About UN ESCWA
Activities by UN ESCWA
AI Platform for Policy Evaluation and Simulation
Global EgyptAs a joint initiative between UN ESCWA and UNU Macau, this project is developing a trustworthy AI platform for policy evaluation and simulation within the United Nations framework. The platform supports evidence-based policymaking by enabling the assessment of policy options and their potential impacts against a predefined development framework, providing policymakers with structured, data-driven insights to inform decision-making. Financial inclusion is the initial use case currently under validation, demonstrating the platform’s capabilities while establishing a scalable foundation for broader applications across multiple policy domains.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsPolicies for inclusive and digitalized power grids in countries with special needs in the ECE, ESCAP, and ESCWA regions
Global BelarusGeorgiaIraqJordanMongoliaTajikistanIn many countries with special needs, the need for more resilient and sustainable energy systems has intensified in the recent years against the backdrop of aging energy infrastructure and growing energy demand. In this context, integration of new renewables-based decentralized energy resources into legacy systems poses a significant challenge. At the same time, many countries with special needs are under increasing pressure to drive efficiency and innovation within the energy sector. Without strategic governance frameworks that embrace digital technologies and support their concerted integration, while addressing the risks such as cybersecurity vulnerabilities and data privacy, most initiatives and efforts to modernize energy systems might turn out to be fragmented and short-lived. Moreover, gender and socio-economic disparities can impede the inclusivity of these transitions, thus potentially leaving certain populations out of the planning and decision-making processes. This project will respond to these critical needs by equipping target countries with harmonized policy approaches and providing targeted capacity-building, with a focus on responsible and inclusive digital transformation in the energy sector. The project will focus on developing a digital governance policy framework that will enable target countries to modernize and better manage their power grids through embracing the twin transition approach. By promoting integration of decentralized energy resources, the project will offer pathways to enhance energy access and grid reliability and resilience. This will be accomplished through capacity-building for policymakers, regulators and utilities, and facilitating regional cooperation to develop harmonized approaches for governance policies for digital transformation of the power sector while ensuring interoperability with legacy systems. Key policy interventions would focus on support of research and development, technological and market innovation, cross-industry collaboration, data protection and ensuring cyber resilience to digital vulnerabilities, behavioural change, and responsible use of digital technologies to avoid rebound effects. The planned policy framework will provide standardized approaches for the integration of digital tools into grid infrastructure.
Activity Type Technical AssistanceResearch/Reports/AssessmentsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceMulti-Agent AI Platform for Evidence Synthesis and Policy Research
Global JordanLebanonOmanQatarA multi-agent AI platform developed by UN ESCWA to support economic and social research, evidence synthesis, and policy analysis. The platform orchestrates specialized AI agents representing diverse policy domains and analytical perspectives to collaboratively retrieve, assess, and synthesize evidence from trusted knowledge sources. By combining structured reasoning, expert debate, and transparent evidence attribution, Polaris enables researchers and policymakers to explore complex development challenges, evaluate policy alternatives, and generate comprehensive, evidence-based insights. Designed as a trustworthy decision-support system, Polaris enhances research productivity while promoting transparency, explainability, and human oversight in policy analysis.
Activity Type AI Tools/SolutionsInfrastructure/Systems DevelopmentArab Development Portal (ADP): An AI-Enabled Data and Policy Support Platform
Arab States AlgeriaBahrainDjiboutiEgyptIraqJordanKuwaitLebanonLibyaMauritaniaMoroccoOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaSomaliaSudanSyriaTunisiaUnited Arab EmiratesYemen
The Arab Development Portal (ADP) 2.0 is an AI-enabled regional digital platform developed and managed by ESCWA, in partnership with members of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG). The platform serves as a centralized hub for development data, statistics, research, and policy-support tools covering the Arab region.
ADP integrates large-scale structured and unstructured data from national statistical offices, international organizations, and alternative data sources. Advanced AI and data engineering techniques are used to automate data ingestion, enrichment, metadata generation, semantic search, and insight extraction. The platform also hosts interactive analytics, dashboards, and AI-driven policy tools that support evidence-based analysis and decision-making across key development domains, including economic growth, labor markets, social protection, financial inclusion, gender equality, climate, and the SDGs.