R 141524Z APR 09
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USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS STATE 036567 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KPAO PREL IT MO LE QA
SUBJECT: G8-BMENA INITIATIVE SECOND COORDINATION MEETING 
IN RABAT 
 
REF: STATE 004781 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near 
Eastern Affairs Madelyn Spirnak attended a G8-Broader Middle 
East and North Africa (BMENA) coordination meeting hosted by 
Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General 
Youssef Amrani in Rabat on April 2, 2009.  Italy,s Deputy 
Director General for the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern 
Countries for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Efisio Luigi 
Marras, and representatives from the non-governmental 
partners No Peace without Justice (NPWJ) and the Moroccan 
Organization for Human Rights (OMDH) also attended.  The 
purpose of the meeting was to coordinate policy priorities, 
the agenda, and organization for the 2009 Forum for the 
Future.  Although a date for the Forum was not set, it is 
likely to occur in late October or early November 2009 in 
Morocco.  SG Amrani asked for the Secretary,s attendance to 
invigorate regional commitment to BMENA.  End summary. 
 
¶2.    Morocco is committed to hosting a successful Forum for 
the Future and recognizes the importance this year,s 
ministerial will have on the future of the BMENA Initiative. 
Along with Italy, the Moroccans have introduced a new 
construct by way of thematic workshops that reinstitutes the 
core elements of the initiative and further promotes the 
partnership between governments and civil society.  In a 
separate bilateral meeting with A/DAS Spirnak and the Charge 
d,Affaires, Secretary General Amrani stressed the importance 
of the Secretary attending the Forum for the Future, noting 
renewed G8 commitment is needed to motivate the region,s 
interest and involvement in BMENA. He also confirmed 
Morocco,s intent to host the BMENA Gender Institute 
announced at the 2008 Forum for the Future in Abu Dhabi. 
 
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READ-OUT OF COORDINATION MEETING 
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¶3.  SG Amrani set the context for the coordination meeting by 
acknowledging the achievements of the BMENA Initiative over 
the past five years:  enlarging democracy and expanding human 
rights, creating a positive dialogue with civil society, and 
establishing of the Foundation for the Future; yet he noted 
that the initiative has lost some of its original enthusiasm. 
 He emphasized the need to develop worthwhile ideas to 
mobilize the region in order to renew the dynamism and build 
on the successes so that the partnership can grow.  He stated 
that this year,s Forum for the Future should mark a turning 
point for the BMENA Initiative.  Italy,s Deputy DG Marras 
welcomed Morocco,s commitment to a successful Forum and 
agreed on the need to strengthen the partnership.  NEA A/DAS 
Spirnak applauded the role the BMENA Initiative plays in 
strengthening civil society, noting that the challenges we 
face are too big for governments alone to resolve. 
 
¶4.  This year,s civil society partners, OMDH and NPWJ, 
presented an overview of the BMENA Civil Society Planning 
meeting that took place in Amman, Jordan, January 28-29, 
¶2009.  At this meeting, civil society leaders agreed to the 
proposed thematic workshops focusing on political reform, 
economic reform, and human development, and offered 
suggestions for the three themes.  BMENA civil society also 
felt strongly that the Parallel Forum should continue as a 
mechanism for non-governmental entities to discuss reform in 
the BMENA region.  Deputy DG Marras commented on the success 
of the Amman meeting, noting it brought government and civil 
society closer together in this partnership.  Likewise, SG 
Amrani indicated that governments and civil society are more 
or less on the same page.  He also encouraged wider 
participation of civil society organizations in the process, 
particularly given the substance of the workshops, to bring 
new ideas to the discussions.  A/DAS Spirnak concurred and 
proposed expanding the dialogue to include opportunities for 
youth, that this could be a possible cross-cutting theme 
bringing coherence to this year,s activities.  She also 
pointed out the value of having a Parallel Forum since not 
all civil society organizations will participate in each of 
the workshops.  Others suggested focusing on both youth and 
women. 
 
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2009 G8-BMENA INITIATIVE CALENDAR 
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¶5.  Thematic Workshops: 
 
a.  Political Reform:  The first workshop will take place in 
Morocco June 26-27, 2009, and will, according to SG Amrani, 
focus on local governance.  OMDH is the lead civil society 
organization and will prepare a concept paper one month in 
advance outlining priorities and modalities. 
 
b.  Economic Reform:  The second workshop will take place in 
Lebanon during the third week of July, 2009 (exact date to be 
determined).  This workshop will take into account current 
activities related to the global financial crisis while 
examining areas to encourage economic development.  The host 
civil society organization will be confirmed following the 
Lebanese parliamentary elections.  The concept paper for this 
workshop should be available in June. 
 
c.  Human Development:  The final workshop will be held in 
Qatar the end of September or first week of October, 2009, 
(exact date to be determined) and address issues related to 
human security, such as women,s empowerment, pluralism and 
diversity, and citizenship education.  The Arab Democracy 
Foundation will be the lead civil society organization for 
the workshop.  The concept paper will likely be available in 
September. 
 
¶6.  Sub-ministerial:  Italy will host a sub-ministerial in 
Rome in the fall, approximately 20 days ahead of the Forum 
for the Future.  This will enable senior officials to 
deliberate the outcomes of the workshops and reach 
preliminary agreement on recommendations to go forward to the 
Forum. 
 
¶7.  Forum for the Future:  The Forum for the Future will 
likely take place during the last week of October or the 
first week of November in either Rabat or Marrakesh, Morocco. 
 
¶8.  There is no preparatory meeting planned at this time. 
Instead, Italy and Morocco have agreed to hold a DVC with key 
countries sometime in May. 
 
 
CLINTON