Fiscal Year 2005

Political Pillar

Elections and Political Processes

Yemeni Consensus Building Program
Lebanon, Yemen

Partners for Democratic Change
FY05 $213,250

The key goal of the project is to develop and sustain local capacity within Yemeni civil society for cooperative decision-making and conflict resolution. Strengthening local NGO efforts will contribute to and reinforce this goal. With technical training and guidance from PDC, local NGOs will implement activities designed to develop the skills of Yemeni political, economic and community leaders at the local level to implement, through cooperative planning and decision-making processes, community development projects. PDC is also undertaking activities in Lebanon designed to support an action-oriented network of youth leaders to specific reform and advocacy initiatives, and to regularize interaction with and discussion between Lebanese youth and decision makers. PDC is working in partnership with a coalition of Lebanese civil society organizations to implement these project activities.

Supporting Arab Civil Society Participation in the World Movement for Democracy
MEPI region

National Endowment for Democracy 
FY05 $318,000

The World Movement for Democracy enables democracy activists and practitioners, particularly in transitional countries and consolidating democracies, to acquire information about best practices, identify effective strategies and recognize the potential of collaborative activities, especially across borders. This project supports the participation of 30 participants from the Middle East and North Africa at the Fourth World Movement for Democracy Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey; publication and distribution of the final assembly report in Arabic; creation of sustainable networks among MENA participants to increase political participation; and incorporation of recommendations and strategies into collaborative projects.

Institute of Training Community Leaders and Municipal Workers in the Arab Community
Israel

Jewish Arab Center for Peace 
FY05 $350,000

The institute is a series of capacity-building courses implemented jointly by the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace and the Arab Mayors Council. Trainings help improve professional management and performance skills and create a network of Arab professionals. Another goal is to improve services provided by the participants to their communities and continue networking and improving relations with governmental institutions.

Supporting Democratic Reform
MEPI region

Aspen Strategic Initiative Institute
FY05 $1,718,177

The Aspen Institute in Berlin is working with indigenous and expatriate reform-oriented activists to promote political reform. The program brings together key policy makers, opinion leaders, NGO representatives, media, and human rights activists from the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. to discuss practical steps toward the promotion of civil society and democracy in the region.

2006 Summer Institute on Election Management
MEPI region

American University
FY05 $87,904

The institute's goals are to improve election administration, create structural reform that promote public participation and fair competition in elections, as well as expand participation in local and national governance processes.

Raising Public Awareness on Environmental Rights
Kuwait

Kuwait Environmental Protection Society 
FY05 $523,585 

The program supports the development of two student-led environmental organizations at local universities that employ democratic practices. The student organizations develop policy recommendations, conduct advocacy campaigns, and lobby on environmental issues of concern.

Enhancing Civil Society Role in Democratic Reform in the Arab Region
Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon

Human Rights Information and Training Center
FY05 $98,000

The Human Rights Information and Training Center, in collaboration with the Adalah Center for Human Rights in Jordan and the Bahrain Society for Human Rights, will establish three local dialogues on reform, bringing together civil society leaders, media and other stakeholders, towards the goal of enabling civil society leaders to effectively advance coordinated efforts on political reform. The partners will each be responsible for establishing national fora in their countries, which will develop national agendas for reform, including how to engage with government while building grassroots support for reform. To complement the in-country activities, and expand participation beyond the three target countries, the partners also will convene a regional forum. Media outreach and a Web site will help to amplify the work of the fora and develop a larger constituency for the project.

Promoting the UN Convention Against Corruption in the Middle East and North Africa
MEPI region

Transparency International
$97,682

This project builds upon the platform of action presented at the 2005 Forum for the Future in Bahrain. Building on its first, main recommendation -- the ratification and effective implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) -- the project aims to build the capacity of parliamentarians, journalists and civil society organizations to campaign for the incorporation of the UNCAC into national legislation; to equip civil society with the technical knowledge and tools to monitor the effective implementation of laws consistent with the UNCAC; and to foster an ongoing network of activists who can sustain this work. Transparency International, in partnership with local partners in the MENA region, will offer technical assistance consultations, a UNCAC implementation tool kit and two workshops for civil society activists, MPs, and representatives of the business community regarding how to track and monitor compliance to the convention.

Women Democracy Watch
MEPI region

Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights 
FY05 $98,940

This project develops a Women's Democracy Watch network that monitors progress and outcomes of the Forum for the Future and advances coordinated policy priorities within the BMENA region to advance women's empowerment. The goal is to create a broad and sustainable network of BMENA women civil society activists from 14 countries working to advance tangible reforms regarding expanding women's empowerment. It also promotes women's political advocacy initiatives in the BMENA region and exploits opportunities for reform dialogue and partnership between BMENA civil society governments and civil society organizations.

Strengthen Political Parties and Improve the Transparency of Electoral System
MEPI region

National Democratic Institute
FY05 $1,600,000

This project aims to strengthen democratic practices and electoral systems by working with political parties on the development of platforms responsive to constituents' needs. The project also supports increased electoral transparency of and public participation in elections.

Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program
MEPI region

Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
FY05 $ 1,111,746

The Middle East Partnership Initiative Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program will provide emerging democratic reform leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa with the opportunity to complete academic coursework and skill-building internships in their field of choice in the U.S.

Elections and Conventional Political Participation
Algeria

National Foundation for Health and Research Development
FY05 $ 539,149

This project supports an expanded public space for democratic voices to be heard, as well as strengthened democratic practices and electoral systems. To address these goals and to support Algerian voter participation, the project is conducting three types of activities in all 48 Algerian Wilayat over the six-month period leading up to May 2007 parliamentary elections: workshops for local officials, conferences/lectures for the general public, and philosophical discussion cafes for young people.

Community Libraries
MEPI region

Ideaccess
FY05 $ 402,021 

The project supports the establishment of community-based libraries.

Civil Society Strengthening Initiative
MEPI region

Democracy Council
FY05 $601,643

The project addresses the issue of freedom of association, the right of citizens to have access to independent sources of information, and the development of civil society groups. This is a collaborative effort between the Democracy Council and local partners.

Strengthening Civil Society
MEPI region

People in Need
FY05 $611,304

This project strengthens civil society through the dissemination of and training on lessons learned from the CEE transformation to democracy.

Supporting Democracy Activists
MEPI region

Foundation for the Defense of Democracies 
FY05 $800,343

This project supports a new generation of activists in the Middle East through training, technical assistance and mentoring

Democracy Assistance Dialogue
MEPI region

Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
FY05 $47,379

This project aims to implement recommendations made at meetings of the Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD) as they relate to women's empowerment. TESEV is working with local partners to complete a baseline study, which will identify specific areas of the DAD recommendations that can be the focus of in-country activities and not duplicate existing civil society efforts. Following the publication of the study, TESEV and its partners will organize country-based workshops to bring together civil society leaders, academics and government representatives to advance these specific reform initiatives.

Supporting Democratic Reform
MEPI region

International Republican Institute
FY05 $ 600,000 

This project provides support for grassroots public awareness campaigns and for the conduct and dissemination of public opinion polling research. Project activities in the public awareness campaign include support to local organizations to publish and disseminate a collection of reports on government human rights abuses and violations, to collect and distribute stories regarding administrative corruption affecting the lives of citizens, and to produce voice recordings of everyday citizens telling their stories.

New Generation Advocating for Political Reform in the Middle East
MEPI region

Freedom House
FY05 $ 1,522,915

The program provides professional internships for emerging political activists in the Middle East. The program gives participants the skills and motivation to devise and implement effective local advocacy campaigns and programs. Participants also receive post-internship mentoring and tailored training linked to their individual advocacy goals.

Political Education and Electoral Rights
Egypt

Ibn Khaldoun Center 
FY05 $150,000 

To support Egyptian civil society, the project offers three activities: (1) a political and electoral rights program to raise political awareness in four communities in four electoral districts, distributed between rural and urban areas; (2) a civil society and democracy in the Arab world program to provide information on civil society through publication of a civil society newsletter, an annual report, ethnic and minority group updates and organization of a workshop to debate the annual report and updates; and (3) an Islamic reformation program to promote enlightened reformative Islam through books on Islamic Reformation and debates.

Empowering Arab Youth in Old Cairo
Egypt

New Horizons Association for Social Development 
FY05 $172,241 

The project works in eight communities in Cairo to select and engage youth leaders aged 18-25 and to partner with three local civil society organizations to: (1) create and develop a civic education curriculum; (2) conduct training to deliver the curriculum; (3) recruit 1,000 youth participants, (4) determine a select group of 25 participants for further training and to lead 25 community groups; (5) develop project plans and award mini-grants for implementation by youth; and (6) conduct two conferences for 500 persons at beginning and end of project to discuss importance of democracy, human rights, and consequences of discrimination, extremism and political exclusion of certain segments of society.

Future Leaders
Egypt

Egyptian Association for Supporting Democracy
FY05 $198,983

The project intends to strengthen political and advocacy skills among 500 young civic leaders, with emphasis on young leaders within political parties, trade and student unions, municipalities, cooperatives and agricultural unions, and youth clubs and centers, through targeted training workshops, development and dissemination of civic education materials, and broader community outreach. It also supports monitoring of elections.

Democratic Structure in Political Parties in Egypt
Egypt

Egyptian Association for Developing and Disseminating Legal Awareness
FY05 $ 104,379

The project strengthens political parties by working with young party leaders to equip them as advocates for political parties and to help them engage senior political party leadership.

Looking to the Future: Transparent Parliamentary Elections in Egypt

United Group
FY05 $ 139,687

The project works in five governates to: (1) train 320 mid-level political party leaders in campaign skills, use of media, and importance of constituent outreach; (2) develop and disseminate a series of voter education publications; and (3) train 480 lawyers on the details of election law and rights and responsibilities of candidates.

Women's Empowerment and Legislative Strengthening
Oman

International Republican Institute 
FY05 $1,237,788

The project strengthens democratic practices and increases women's participation in the political process in Oman. It builds the capacity of Omani Women's Associations (OWAs) by improving the skills and professionalism necessary to fully participate in Omani politics. It also strengthens the capacity of the Majles to the point where members use constituent relations and policy formation skills gained from continual engagement with experts, academics and associations to better serve the Omani public.

Rule of Law

Parliamentary Staff Training and Technical Assistance in North Africa and Lebanon
Algeria

National Conference of State Legislatures
FY05 $400,000

The focus of this project is building the capacity of the legislative branch of the Algerian government in the areas of bill drafting, media outreach, constituent relations, budget analysis, and parliamentary research. Mechanisms for delivering the programming include: interactive workshops, technical assistance consultancies, and U.S. study tours for representatives and staff from the APN and Senate.

Middle East Associative Rights Initiative
MEPI region

International Center for Non Profit Law
FY05 $149,983

The project convenes a two-day seminar on the legal environment for the operation of civil society in advance of the 2006 Forum for the Future in Amman, Jordan. It follows the development of a corps of local experts on the topic of reforming laws governing associative rights and the legal establishment of civil society organizations.

Media

Middle East and North Africa Media Development and Initiatives Alliance (MENA Media)
MEPI region

International Research Exchanges Board 
FY05 $2,678,376

This project increases the professionalism and sustainability of independent media in the Middle East and North Africa. Activities support the commercial, regulatory, and political factors that underpin the growth of independent media: an open operating environment; professional, quality-driven outlets; and public-oriented content. The program has four areas: media law, media management, professional development, and regional networks. All programs are interconnected.

Web Access for Civil Society
MEPI region

Regents of the University of New Mexico
FY05 $ 949,920

This project supports the establishment of a Web portal for civil society NGOs and trains NGOs on how to network into the portal system and use tools available to improve their initiatives. It identifies NGOs for linkage into the portal and provides training on how to design, develop and maintain linked Web sites.

Economic Pillar

Entrepreneurship

Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the United States ( MEET U.S. )
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, the Palestinian Territories

University of California San Diego, Beyster Institute 
FY05 $3,970,000

This program implements the Middle East Entrepreneur Training in the U.S. (MEET U.S.) program and includes the following activities: 1) delivery of ICT and business services seminars, 2) provision of business development training and mentoring to entrepreneurs at Centers of Entrepreneurial Excellence in Bahrain and Morocco, 3) a businesswomen's summit for more than 200 women from the region, 4) establishment of a network of businesswomen's hubs and speaker bureaus in eight countries, and 5) delivery of resource mobilization training to civil society and non-governmental organization managers from the region.

LaBIP (Legal and Business Internship Program)
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, the Palestinian Territories

AMIDEAST
FY05 $2,160,000

The program brings approximately 40 Middle Eastern women from the business and legal professions to the United States to participate in a month-long graduate-level law or business program followed by a five-month internship at leading U.S. legal or business institutions.

Trade/Transparency

Jordan Financial and Operational Restructuring Project
Jordan

Financial Markets International
FY05 $301,200

The Jordan Financial and Operational Restructuring Project increases the competitiveness of Jordanian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improves the ability of Jordanian banks to safely lend money to SMEs by injecting knowledge into and fostering confidence within Jordan's SME sector. Through trainings and other assistance, the project delivers tools to SMEs to help them develop clear financial statements and projections. The project also assists lenders in understanding these statements, adopting techniques to assess and cope with higher-risk endeavors, and implementing better credit management strategies.

G-8 OECD Governance and Investment for Development Initiative
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, the Palestinian Territories

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
FY05 $500,000

The project improves public governance and investment with a view to promoting economic development, job creation and human and social development in 16 countries in the region. It is comprised of two initiatives: 1) modernizing public governance and 2) mobilizing investment for development. Both initiatives utilize working groups of influential leaders to identify and analyze barriers to reform as well as develop strategies for overcoming barriers. The working groups then develop national action plans and strategic frameworks to implement the plans.

Education Pillar

Community Involvement in Reforming Primary Education
Morocco

Near East Foundation
FY05 $ 358,204

The project increases the number of children, particularly girls, that receive a primary education in Morocco's High Atlas Mountain region by improving education in target communities through the development and cultivation of community participation in education. In this economically depressed, rural region, with extremely high illiteracy rates, high unemployment, and where education is valued little by parents, the project works to increase enrollment and persistence rates as well as raise awareness among adults in the region regarding the importance of primary education. The project also focuses on forming parent-teacher associations (PTAs) where they are non-existent, developing the capacity of existing PTAs to take a more active role, and building capacity among community actors including parents, students, teachers, local leaders, school administrators, and religious authorities to advocate for and reform education. Another component of this project entails increasing women's participation in community leadership.

Partnership School Project in the Middle East
Oman, Algeria, Libya

Creative Associates
FY05 $130,779

The project implements educational reforms based on in-country school assessments. In Oman, for example, reforms are related to enriching the curriculum with life skills, increasing the capacity of secondary managers and administrators, instituting competency-based student assessments, and improving the quality of teachers' attitudes through training, including an emphasis on child-centered teaching methodology.

Jordan Educational Initiative English as a Foreign Language Project
Jordan

Cisco Learning Institute
FY05 $150,000

The project develops an online, interactive English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) curriculum for grades 7-12 along with a professional development training program. The new EFL curriculum will be launched (pre-piloted and piloted) in some of JEI's 100 Discovery Schools, with a goal of providing a fully functional online, interactive EFL curriculum and instructor support materials for grades 7-12 by the start of the 2008-2009 school year.

UGA Tunisia Educational Partnership
Tunisia

University of Georgia
FY05 $90,071

The project enhances access to higher education and the use of the latest information and communication technology in Tunisia by supporting the capacity of the Virtual University of Tunisia, an emerging regional leader in distance learning development; supports the establishment of mechanisms within Tunisian universities for self-assessment, increased accountability and evaluation, quality assurance and accreditation; and strengthens the links between the higher educational system and civil society so that the university becomes an active player in solving societal problems.

Student Leaders Study of the United States Institutes
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestinian Territories, Iraq

Georgetown University, University of Delaware, Benedictine University, Montana State University, and Dickinson College
FY05 $2,500,000

The program supports Student Leaders Study of the United States Institutes, intensive six-week training sessions hosted by U.S. universities that introduce highly motivated students from the Middle East to American culture and values and that provide instruction in leadership, problem-solving, entrepreneurial skills, and civic rights and responsibilities.

English ACCESS Microscholarships
Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen

U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
FY05 $5,000,000

The English ACCESS Microscholarships Program for English Language Study provides the opportunity for underserved young people to improve their English language skills and to gain a better future through access to expanded education environments. English language instruction is given in the context of American history and democratic principles, supporting democratic objectives and improving mutual understanding between countries in the region and the U.S.

U.S.-Middle East University Partnerships
Libya

Higher Education for Development
FY05 $430,000

The program supports institutional linkages between U.S. and regional colleges/universities to strengthen university programs in such disciplines as: business and economics; information and communication technology; teacher education; government and legal studies; and gender studies.

Arab Civitas
Egypt, Palestinian Territories, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, UAE

USAID and Center for Civic Education
FY05 $2,460,000

Funding supports a civic education program in elementary and secondary schools throughout the region. The program utilizes the center's Project Citizen curriculum and materials, as well as its Foundations of Democracy, both adapted and translated for use in each country. The program enhances the quality of education and strengthens democratic processes by fostering public awareness and acceptance of civic rights and responsibilities. Students are active in their school and local communities through service projects that work to solve problems.

Women's Pillar

Women in Democracy

Advanced Campaign Consulting
Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, UAE

Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
FY05 $ 426,457

The project provides advanced personalized, practical campaign training to female candidates in the Middle East and North Africa region running in elections in 2006 and 2007.

Support Women's Political Participation and Candidacies
MEPI region

National Democratic Institute
FY05 $ 375,000

This project supports women's participation in building democratic pluralistic societies through both political representation and civil society strengthening. It offers a women's campaign school to teach key campaigning skills to women candidates from North African countries running for elected public office.

Gulf Campaign School for Women
Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia

International Republican Institute
FY05 $375,000

Potential women candidates and campaign activists from the Gulf region take part in ongoing political skills training in order to more affectively wage professional and credible campaigns at the national, regional and local level. Training includes campaigning, monitoring elections, and managing organizations democratically.

Women in Technology
Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen

Institute of International Education
FY05 $1,250,000

This program builds a turn-key model of sustainability for women's organizations in the Gulf by providing them with cutting-edge business and technology training. In addition to improving their own skills, each organization will, in turn, be responsible for training other women in their community. Participating groups will receive the training and resources necessary to (a) diversify their economic structure, (b) more effectively serve their existing clientele, and (c) attract, educate and mentor a new, younger audience. As a result, with a cost-recovery model in place, the groups will reinforce their economic and political engagement and broaden their role in the advancement of a pluralistic society.

Women's Rights/Empowerment

Building Public-Private Partnerships to Support Women's Progress
Jordan

Southeast Consortium for International Development and Vital Voices Global Partnership
FY05 $800,000

This project brings NGOs and government officials together with private sector corporations to develop partnerships that address social issues affecting women, including family violence.

The program brings added value to the ongoing work in Jordan by highlighting path-breaking models used with considerable success in the United States. A public-private partnership model supporting women's issues will be created, piloted in Jordan and then shared with additional countries in the region.

Innovative Collaboration to Empower Women in the Middle East
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen

ICF Consulting
FY05 $ 1,599,977 

This project advances and increases women's participation in society by providing support for conferences, summits, and workshops on a range of women's rights issues with NGOs, public and private sector partners and other stakeholders.

Building Capacity for Arab Women NGOs to Advocate for Reforming Family Laws
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen

Demos Institute, Morocco
FY05 $400,000

This funding supports the second phase of the program. This project builds the capacity of Arab women NGOs and groups in the three sub-regions of the Middle East and North Africa region to launch and participate in campaigns to reform family laws. In the first phase, a model “toolkit” by the founders of the family code movement in Morocco was created to go beyond documentation and provide strategies and tactics on “how” the women in Morocco created a reform movement to achieve their successful outcome -- reform of the Moudawana.

Training for Issue-based Campaigning
Lebanon

Council for a Community of Democracies
FY05 $103,992

This project supports the transfer of lessons learned from Central and Eastern Europe women's rights initiatives to women's rights organizations and activists in Lebanon.

Women and the Law

Judicial Curriculum Development on Women's Rights
Morocco

American Bar Association
FY05 $1,225,000

Since the enactment of the new Moroccan family code, a variety of observers have noted that in practice the new code suffers from problems of application. At times, courts and lawyers utilize and apply the code in ways that are either erroneous or inconsistent with the spirit of the reform, and, in general, application is not uniform throughout the country. This program addresses this concern and develops comprehensive online modules of women's rights under international and national law to be taught to judges and clerks throughout Morocco. The curriculum, which will be adopted and standardized by the Institut Supérieur de la Magistrature (national judge institute) as part of its official core curriculum, will foster uniform interpretation and application of the code, consistent with international human rights standards and basic principles of gender equality. This is the first time e-learning is being integrated into formal judicial training.

Arab Women's Legal Network
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen

American Bar Association
FY05 $850,000

This association brings together women from across the MENA region in a network of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals to exchange expertise and information, promote women as decision-makers, provide professional development training and mentoring, and help to secure women's equal rights under the law. With this funding, the network is developing sub-regional hubs in three countries to conduct professional development programs reaching more than 500 women legal professionals.

Women's Economic Empowerment

Businesswomen's Network
Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Beyster Institute
FY05 $850,000

As a result of feedback and demand at the first annual Businesswomen's Summit held in Tunis from May 24-26, 2005, this new program is building a network of Middle East and North African businesswomen in order to add value to women's businesses and advance the role of women in society, foster democratic change, and promote a regional culture of women's entrepreneurship. The network's activities will be run from hubs in seven countries across the region. The hubs will serve as focal points for programmatic activity, skills training and mentoring. A core objective is to launch a speakers' bureau to transfer knowledge between influential regional and US business people and the network's local businesswomen.

Legal and Business Internship Program
Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen

AMIDEAST
FY05 $2,160,000

The program brings approximately 40 Middle Eastern women from the business and legal professions to the United States to participate in a month-long graduate-level law or business program followed by a five-month internship at leading U.S. legal or business institutions.

Cross Pillar

Foundation for the Future
MEPI region

Eurasia Foundation
FY05 $ 921,064

The project supports an independent grant making foundation that will promote democracy and civil society development throughout the broader Middle East and North Africa and that will be supported by funding from many countries and organizations. This will be accomplished through preparation of effective administrative policies and internal control procedures meeting international standards, combined with a staff of highly qualified candidates for foundation senior staff positions submitted for review and selection.

MEPI Alumni Network
Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen

AMIDEAST
FY05 $2,300,018

The MEPI Alumni Network supports the creation of six country-level alumni chapters, with steering committees of MEPI alumni, to leverage U.S. investment in MEPI program participants and to provide ongoing support, development, and communication. The alumni network provides quarterly professional development and network activities and specialized support for the Study of the United States Institutes Program.