PRESS RELEASES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
Fact Sheet
The United States and Mideast Work Together for
Democratic Reform
09 March 2005
The Middle East Partnership Initiative is sending a message of
strong United States' support for reform efforts in the region.
The Partnership Initiative funds over 100 programs in 14 countries
to achieve the reform goals that President Bush outlined in launching
the Initiative in December 2002. Designed to benefit all people
of the region, especially women and youth, this Presidential initiative
supports innovative, sustainable, and locally led political, economic,
and educational reform efforts in the Middle East and North Africa.
FUNDING
To date, the United States has committed $293 million for funding
under the Middle East Partnership Initiative over four fiscal years
including $74.4 million in FY 2005. These funds are in addition
to bilateral economic assistance of over one billion dollars provided
annually to countries of the Middle East and North Africa.
REFORM AGENDA and RESULTS TO DATE
Democratic Reform: The Middle East Partnership Initiative
has helped put reform on the agenda throughout the region. Working
with local civil society and government officials who promote democratic
practices and political openness, the political pillar of
the Partnership Initiative has developed networks of like-minded
citizens who are working for democratic change in their countries.
- Among the hallmark activities was the judicial conference in
Bahrain in 2003 attended by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra
Day O'Connor. Its success helped launch the "Women and the
Law" workshop in 2004 and a subsequent program for activities
raising women's awareness on their rights and providing legal
assistance.
- This program also led to a commercial law reform program, support
for Alternative Dispute Resolution workshops, and plans for the
creation of a regional justice institute.
- Regional Campaign Schools for women candidates and expanded
political party training have benefited present and future candidates
and spread voter knowledge and participation. A 2004 grant will
fund the creation of a legislative resource and training center
in the Gulf region.
Economic Reform: The economic pillar of the Middle
East Partnership Initiative is helping to achieve the President's
vision of a Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013 by providing technical
assistance to help countries negotiate free trade agreements with
the U.S., comply with their Trade and Investment Framework Agreements,
and accede to the World Trade Organization.
- The Initiative's technical assistance has already helped led
to two major successes: the conclusion of Free Trade Agreements
with Morocco and Bahrain.
- The economic pillar is also supporting changes in the regulatory
environment and financial sector by funding the work of the Financial
Services Volunteer Corps, programs in commercial law, and training
by U.S. government experts.
- Partnership programs are helping to develop small- and medium-sized
enterprises--the engines of economic growth--by training entrepreneurs
and placing young Arab women in internship in Fortune 500 companies.
- Under the Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative,
funds from the bilateral program are supporting the International
Finance Corporation's work to create a better business environment
for small and medium enterprises as well as the creation of a
regional microfinance training center by the Consultative Group
to Assist the Poor and the establishment of entrepreneurship centers
in Morocco and Bahrain.
Quality Education: Recognizing that reform and democratic
change will take time, the education pillar partners with
non-governmental organizations and regional governments to lay a
foundation of quality and relevant education upon which sustainable
transformation in all sectors will be built.
- With the Jordan Education Initiative, the Middle East Partnership
Initiative supports
- The application of technology innovation and subject matter
expertise to create a new interactive on-line curriculum and teaching
materials for English-as-a-Foreign Language that will help provide
students the skills necessary to compete in the global economy.
- "My Arabic Library" is a major new effort to encourage
reading, thinking, and analytical skills in young students; it
also actively engages teachers, parents, and the community.
- The Initiative's "Student Leaders: Study of the United
States Institutes" provides a network of young, highly-motivated
men and women with practical and theoretical instruction in leadership,
problem-solving, and entrepreneurial skills, as well as a taste
of American society. These student leaders are the region's future
leaders in the civil society, private sector, government and community,
and successful entrepreneurs. They are the foundation upon which
the region can be transformed.
- The Middle East Partnership Initiative is also supporting the
Arabic Regional Resource Network of the Global Learning Portal,
which will provide quality education resources worldwide and develop
a collaborative online network linking teachers, educators, and
educational institutions worldwide to foster the exchange of information.
The Portal supports the G-8 commitment to education reform under
the Broader Middle East and North Africa initiative.
Empowering Women: Where legislative breakthroughs have occurred,
such as the new Moroccan family law, projects sponsored under the
women's pillar by the Middle East Partnership Initiative
have benefited women by supporting public education programs to
help assure the law is widely understood and observed.
- Programs in other areas, such as Regional Campaign Schools,
equip women with the skills and strategies to reduce the barriers
to fuller participation in all aspects of community life including
political leadership.
- The Partnership Initiative supported the fieldwork and production
of Freedom House's survey on the Status of Women's Freedom in
the Middle East, which will be published in March 2005. Covering
most countries of the region, this survey will raise awareness
among the general population, empower women's groups to increase
activities that enhance women's freedom, and outline areas for
future women's programming.
In June 2004, the G8 launched the Partnership for Progress and
a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North
Africa (G8-BMENA). The central element of this initiative is
the "Forum for the Future," which serves as a framework
for regular meetings at the ministerial level between the G8 and
the participating regional countries focused on reform issues. The
Forum also includes outreach to the private sector and non-governmental
organizations community. In addition, there are specific initiatives
agreed to at Sea Island, including a microfinance initiative, a
literacy program, entrepreneurial training programs, a democracy
assistance dialogue, a private enterprise development facility at
the International Finance Corporation. The U.S. Government, primarily
through the Middle East Partnership Initiative, is providing approximately
$22 million for four of these initiatives: a microfinance center,
entrepreneurial training for small and medium enterprises, an education
information technology initiative, and two entrepreneurship centers
in Bahrain and Morocco.
More information about the Middle East Partnership Initiative can
be found at http://mepi.state.gov
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