01 December 2004
Forum for the Future to Study Economic, Political, Social Reforms
Forum to include countries from G8, broader Middle East, North Africa
Following is a fact sheet outlining the origins and initiatives of the Forum for the Future to be convened in Rabat, Morocco, December 11:
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
December 2004
FACT SHEET
FORUM FOR THE FUTURE
Rabat Meeting
The Forum for the Future is a cooperative effort by the states of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region, the Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized nations, and other partners. These partners seek to promote and develop political, economic, and social reform in the region. Forum members are united around a common agenda that advances the universal values of human dignity, democracy, economic opportunity, and social justice. The Forum also serves as a venue for regional businesses and civil society groups to express their goals and ideas for reforms to their governments.
The first Forum for the Future will convene December 11, 2004 in Rabat, Morocco. Foreign and Finance Ministers will discuss how the G-8 and other partners can support regional ideas for political, economic, and educational reform. Presentations will be made by the Forum's parallel Civil Society and Business Dialogue groups, which are made up of private citizens from the region.
The open exchange of ideas and wide representation of diverse views will ensure that efforts respond effectively to the concerns of people in the region.
Forum Participants
Morocco, as Forum host, has invited:
BMENA region: Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab League, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen
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G-8: Canada, European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom and United States.
Partners: Netherlands, Turkey
Organizations: Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, International Monetary Fund, World Bank,
Initiatives
Forum participants will move forward in several specific reform areas the region has identified as essential for strengthening political participation, democracy, education and economic prosperity:
International Finance: To support the region's efforts to improve the business climate and to increase financing options for "small and medium-sized enterprises," Ministers of Finance will examine progress of the International Finance Corporation's the Private Enterprise Partnership for the Middle East and North Africa. They will discuss targets for activities and impact, as well as funding for this regional technical assistance fund.
Entrepreneurship: To help expand employment opportunity and capacity, especially to youth, Ministers of Finance will announce establishment of entrepreneurship training centers in Morocco and Bahrain that will be operational by early 2005.
Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD): The Democracy Assistance Dialogue will bring together willing governments, civil society groups and other organizations to improve and expand programs and projects that support the region's own efforts on democratization and public participation. These groups will help to evaluate existing democracy programs, strengthen democratic institutions (such as parliaments, judiciary systems and the press), promote the role of women and highlight the links between democracy and economic prosperity. The DAD will hold the first joint meeting of governments and civil society organizations in 2005.
Microfinance: The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) has established a microfinance consultative group, whose members include donors, practitioners and government officials. The first meeting will take place in December 2004. Ministers will also review CGAP's work with Jordan to establish a technical hub and training center by April 2005, and with Yemen on developing appropriate microfinance projects.
Literacy: G-8 and BMENA Ministers will establish a working group of regional experts to improve education and literacy, especially for girls and women, in accordance with the literacy goals established by the region, and will announce Jordan's plan to host an education ministerial meeting in 2005 to discuss broader education issues.
Investment: The Forum for the Future will launch the BMENA Investment Task Force, a private-sector, CEO-led group that will focus on increasing investment in the region to spur economic growth and create jobs. Working closely with the Middle East and North Africa Investment and Governance Initiative of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Task Force will review impediments to investment and make concrete recommendations for reform.
Forum Origins
The Forum for the Future was created in response to calls for political, economic and social reform emanating from the BMENA region over the past few years. These include the Declaration of the Arab League Summit in Tunis, statements issued at the Alexandria Library Summit, and in Sana'a as well as the declaration of the Arab Business Council.
The Forum was the centerpiece initiative of the "Partnership for Progress and a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North Africa" agreed to by seven countries from the BMENA region and the leaders of the G-8 at Sea Island, Georgia in June 2004. More than twenty G-8 and BMENA Foreign and Finance Ministers, as well as representatives from civil society and business groups, held preparatory meetings for the Forum in New York on September 23-24, and on October 1 in Washington, DC.
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
