The ESCWA Cyber Legislation Digest 6. To promote the use of ICT applications and e-Services in governmental, economic, social and cultural activities so that users become more confident conducting online transactions. These general objectives were converted to more specific objectives for the Harmonization Project as shown in the next section. 3.2 The Objectives of the Harmonization of Cyber Legislation Following on from the above objectives, ESCWA established the objectives and expected achievements (see next section) as follows:    To enhance regional integration in the field of cyber legislation and Knowledge Societies. To strengthen the capacity of member countries to develop their knowledge societies through the drafting of cyber legislation. To build a strong and sustainable ICT sector in member countries through the development of appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. Such objectives will lead to growth in the region's economy, particularly in the ICT sector, by:    Facilitating e-Transactions between the countries of the region with the removal of legislative contradictions that may otherwise hinder their completion. Enhancing regional and cross-border business and trade as extra-national consumers will be less concerned about falling into legislative vacuums. Minimizing ICT market segmentation problems and increasing cross-border competitiveness by enabling access to wider markets for businesses which would otherwise find it difficult to sell and expand outside of their national borders. Various activities and results were accomplished starting with the development of the Cyber Legislation Model, going through the approval of the Harmonization Project in 2008 and launching it in 2009. The project is currently being conducted by ESCWA's Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD). 3.3 Models for Cyber Legislation in ESCWA Member Countries ESCWA’s cyber legislation efforts began in 2007 as a project for the harmonization of cyber legislation in ESCWA member countries. This was followed by a study entitled ’Models for Cyber Legislation in ESCWA Member Countries’.5 This study formed the basis of the approach to the harmonization of cyber legislation. It justified the launch of the harmonization of cyber legislation and prepared the ground for implementation activities in the region. 5 http://www.escwa.un.org/information/publications/edit/upload/ictd-07-8-e.pdf 8