The Middle East Partnership Initiative - OECD · The Middle East Partnership Initiative Types of...

The Middle East Partnership Initiative Supporting freedom and opportunity

so democracy can spread, education can thrive,

economies can grow, and women can be empowered

http://mepi.state.gov

• MEPI was established in December 2002 to offer tangible support to reformers

in the region. The initiative is where programs and policy come together.

• We have devoted nearly $300 million to 350 programs in 16 countries and the

Palestinian territories in four years. MEPI has worked directly with people

throughout the region to develop program ideas.

• We have established regional offices in Tunis, Tunisia, and Abu Dhabi,

United Arab Emirates.

• MEPI works to ensure that U.S. bilateral economic assistance to the Arab world

also champions freedom.

The Middle East Partnership Initiative

Overview


Types of Assistance

Election Assistance and Political Party Strengthening

Civil Society Empowerment

Legislative Strengthening and Legal and Judicial Reform

Free and Independent Media Development

Examples

Provided support for 2,000 domestic election monitors

for Egypt's first multi-candidate election

Supporting the only live satellite broadcasts of Arab parliamentary sessions

Increasing the transparency of government by training journalists

and news media executives throughout the region

Democracy: Giving People a Voice in Their Future


Types of Assistance

Investment

Entrepreneurship

Trade and Transparency

Examples

Providing technical support for free trade agreements that expand business opportunities

Established self-sustaining Junior Achievement chapters in 12 countries

with more than 10,000 students participating

Supporting the development of Arab entrepreneurs

through training and fellowships in the region and in the United States

Economic Development: Jobs, Security for Families, Hope for the Future


Types of Assistance

Expanding Access

Improving Quality

Developing Employable Skills

Examples

Working with highly-motivated Arab young people through intensive, five-week institutes

in the U.S. that teach leadership, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial skills

Training more than 3,000 teachers in civic education,

reaching 65,000 students in more than 500 schools in 10 countries

Creating U.S.-Middle East university linkages so American universities can collaborate closely

with Arab universities in academic areas such as business, journalism, and education

Education: Unleashing the Region’s Potential


Types of Assistance

Women and the Law

Women in Democracy

Women’s Rights

Women’s Economic Empowerment

Examples

Raising the political, advocacy, and communication skills of women candidates

through innovative regional campaign schools

Building professional networks for Arab women legal professionals and businesswomen,

supported by businesswomen's summits and in-region network hubs

Empowering grassroots women's NGOs across the region through targeted training

on advocacy, negotiation, outreach and communication skills

Women’s Empowerment: Providing Choices and New Opportunities

Working Together in Support of the People of the Middle East

• The Forum for the Future promotes and develops political, economic, and social

reform in the region and provides regional businesses and civil society groups a venue

to express their goals and ideas for reforms to their governments.

• The Democracy Assistance Dialogue brings together governments, civil society

groups and other organizations to improve and expand programs that support the

region' s own efforts for democratization and public participation.

• The Literacy Working Group works to improve education and literacy, especially for

girls and women, in accordance with the literacy goals established by the region.

• The Foundation for the Future multiplies reform efforts in the Middle East region.

We also support multilateral approaches such as the G8’s Broader

Middle East and North Africa Initiative. Examples:

Commercial Law Development Program

Office of General Counsel

United States Department of CommerceCLDP

TEXT

IMPROVING THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS WORLDWIDE

The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is uniquely tasked with providing technical assistance in the commercial law arena to the governments and private sectors of transitional countries in support of their economic development goals.

http://www.cldp.doc.gov

MEPI IMPLEMENTING PARTNER

Drawing heavily on the expertise within the US Government and CLDP’s team of lawyers and specialists with international experience and fluent language abilities (including Arabic and French), CLDP programs assist governmental, judicial and commercial leaders to augment their laws, policies and organizational structures.

CLDP works directly with International Organizations such as the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) in order to promote international commercial law standards throughout the region.

How Does CLDP Improve the Legal Environment for

the Middle East and North Africa?

CLDPMEPI IMPLEMENTING PARTNER

International Commercial Law Standards

Countries in the Middle East, US and EU are developing laws based on international models, including for example, e-commerce laws. CLDP is assisting countries in the Middle East with the development of comprehensive e-commerce laws, including cybersecurity and e-signature legislative efforts.

MEPI IMPLEMENTING PARTNERCLDP

CLDP Programs

Participation as governments adopt laws

Legislative and regulatory drafting

Experts who spend significant time executing long term projects

In-country and regional workshops

Major conferences that introduce large groups to new issues

U.S.-based consultations for small cadres of experts

Ministerial or departmental capacity building


CLDP Cooperation in the MENA Region

Legislative and Regulatory Cooperation: CLDP assistance has been instrumental in public procurement, investment, intellectual property, insurance, mortgage, lending, and a wide range of other legislative and regulatory initiatives in the MENA region.

Law School Curriculum Development and Continuing Legal Education: CLDP has worked with legal educators throughout the MENA region to develop law school curricula and continuing legal training that will prepare lawyers for international commercial transaction cases.

Judicial Capacity Building: CLDP has partnered with Ministries in MENA countries to present local and regional legal conferences on complex commercial transactions involving international trade and investment.


Morocco Intellectual Property Success Story

Moroccan Government sought to develop intellectual property laws consistent with the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and international commercial law standards.

CLDP and the Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC) organized a program in Morocco to educate intellectual property stakeholders in Morocco regarding intellectual property commitments made by the US and Morocco in the FTA. Through seminars and consultations, the program exposed potential concerns and obstacles regarding the FTA intellectual property commitments and garnered support for new intellectual property laws in Morocco based on international commercial law standards.

With the support of CLDP, OMPIC and the Moroccan Copyright Office designed intellectual property rights laws consistent with the US-Morocco FTA and international commercial law standards that were amenable to intellectual property stakeholders in Morocco.


CLDP Facilitated Legal Projects

Algeria: Intellectual Property Law

Bahrain: Company Law, Corporate Governance Code, Secured Lending Law, Electronic Commerce Law, Consumer Protection Law

Egypt: Electronic Commerce Law, Competition Law, Insurance Law

Morocco: Intellectual Property Law

Oman: Company Law, Electronic Commerce Law, Foreign Investment Law

Qatar: Company Law, Corporate Governance Code, Secured Lending Law, Foreign Investment Law

Tunisia: Intellectual Property Law

UAE: Competition Law, Consumer Protection Law

Yemen: Government Procurement Law


CLDP Regional Conference in OmanJanuary 2008

Judges and Lawyers from MENA countries

Current Legal Developments in MENA region

Company Law and Corporate Governance

Lending Law

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Law

Contract Law (including E-Commerce and Arbitration)

International Legal Experts

Case Studies


CLDP Contact Information

Middle East Partnership InitiativeUS Department of State

2201 C Street, NWWashington, DC 20520Tel: +1-202-776-8572Fax: +1-202-776-8445http://mepi.state.gov

Greg Howell, Foreign Affairs [email protected]

Commercial Law Development ProgramUS Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave., NW Stop 5875Washington, DC 20230Tel: +1-202-482-2400Fax: +1-202-482-0006

http://www.cldp.doc.gov

James Filpi, International [email protected]

MEPI Contact Information


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