VZCZCXRO9109
PP RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR
DE RUEHYN #2170/01 3410818
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 070818Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3328
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002170 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR DAS TAMARA WITTES 
NEA/PI FOR TIM ANDREWS 
EMBASSY ABU DHABI FOR RALPH FALZONE 
NEA/ARP FOR ANDREW MACDONALD 
USAID FOR CHRIS KISCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMPI KDEM KPAO EAID PREL PGOV SOCI YM
SUBJECT: MEPI'S LOCAL GRANTS PROGRAM: A YEMEN SUCCESS STORY 
 
REF: A. 07 SANAA 1220 
     ¶B. 05 SANAA 310 
     ¶C. 03 SANAA 1559 
     ¶D. 03 SANAA 166 
 
¶1. Summary.  With more than 7000 registered Non-Governmental 
Organizations (NGOs), but little to no indigenous funding for 
its nascent civil society, Yemen has benefited greatly from 
the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)'s local grants 
program.  The local grants program has made a particular 
impact in supporting emerging CSOs in Yemen and in creating 
linkages between already existent organizations.  Yemeni MEPI 
alumni, from both local grants and exchange programs, 
continue to act as like-minded reformists across society. 
Although CSOs have benefited from an active civil society, 
operating in Yemen is becoming increasingly repressive for 
CSOs.  Despite efforts by the ROYG to control the NGO sector 
by introducing a new, more restrictive NGO law, civil society 
in Yemen remains lively and will resist being controlled by 
the central government.  Post recommends the continuation and 
preferably the increase of MEPI local grants funding to Yemen 
in the future.  End Summary. 
 
FUNDED BY THE US, MADE IN YEMEN 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  With more than 7000 registered Non-Governmental 
Organizations (NGOs), but little to no indigenous funding for 
its nascent civil society, Yemen has benefited greatly from 
the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)'s local grants 
program.  Since the advent of the MEPI program in Yemen in 
2003, dozens of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have 
received small grants.  MEPI has funded projects in Yemen 
through local grants in all of the four original "pillars" ) 
political, economic, democracy, and women.  Yemeni MEPI 
projects have focused primarily on promoting women's 
political participation, legislative reform, human rights 
awareness, and economic development.  (Comment: The success 
of the MEPI local grants program in Yemen is particularly 
notable given the larger context: As the poorest country in 
the Arabian Peninsula, Yemeni CSOs and the Yemenis that run 
them are hungry for funding.  In the first six months of 
2009, the MEPI Committee at Embassy Sana'a received over 
sixty applications for local grants.  Of the sixty, 
approximately twenty to thirty were qualified for funding, 
while the program could fund only ten to twenty.  End 
Comment.)  The local grants program functions as a rapid 
reaction force for change.  For example, when the Department 
expressed an interest in finding and funding an NGO to work 
on the issue of early childhood marriage in September 2009, 
the MEPI Committee was able to identify an appropriate NGO 
and solicit a grant application in a few of weeks. 
 
¶3.  The local grants program has made a particular impact in 
supporting emerging CSOs in Yemen and in creating linkages 
between already existent organizations.  Hafez Al-Bukari, 
President of the Yemen Polling Center, said that MEPI was the 
first donor organization to support his Center and that USG 
grants were intrinsic to its ability to build the 
organization to international standards.  Dr. Arwa Yahya 
Al-Deram, Executive Director of SOUL, a CSO that focuses on 
the health, education, and social development of women and 
children, echoed Bukari, saying that MEPI helped in both the 
establishment and development of her CSO.  A 2005 week-long 
visit from Laura Schultz, then MEPI Political Pillar Officer, 
was invaluable to SOUL in formulating its strategic plan. 
The MEPI program brought existing CSOs into contact with each 
other, often making the initial connections between major 
players in civil society in terms of operation.  In the words 
of Ezzadin Al-Ashbahi, General Director of the Human Rights 
Information and Training Center (HRITC), "the best thing that 
MEPI did was (to use the Forum for the Future) to create 
coalitions of CSOs" both within countries like Yemen and 
throughout the region. 
 
¶4.  Yemeni MEPI alumni, from both local grants and exchange 
programs, continue to act as like-minded reformists across 
society.  They have formed an active network, continuing to 
nurture bonds made during and after their participation in 
MEPI programs.  With support from the America-Mideast 
Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) and from a 
steering committee based out of Sanaa, MEPI alumni organize 
independent programs emphasizing entrepreneurship and women's 
empowerment, both key reform issues in Yemen.  MEPI alumni 
often become leaders in civil society.  Upon her return to 
Yemen, former Leader for Democracy Fellow Intisar Aladhi 
became Secretary General of the All Girls Society for 
 
SANAA 00002170  002 OF 002 
 
 
Development, the implementer of a MEPI local grants project, 
and an active reformer within the civil society community. 
 
ROYG CRACKING DOWN ON CIVIL SOCIETY? 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. Although CSOs have benefited from an active civil society, 
they are finding it increasingly difficult to operate in 
Yemen.  The ROYG is attempting to introduce and impose a new, 
more restrictive NGO law, which will make it more difficult 
for CSOs to receive funding and register as NGOs.  According 
to the Democracy School Chairman Jamal Abdullah Al-Shami, the 
new law will make it harder to obtain and use foreign 
funding.  Today, there is no stigmatization in receiving USG 
funding.  In fact, at least one NGO leader, the Democracy 
School's Shami, has said that it adds to their prestige and 
credibility.  Still, there are signs that the ROYG is 
gradually making it more difficult for organizations to 
operate within Yemen.  Shami estimated that 30 percent of 
CSOs are operating without a license and remain unable to 
register or renew their registration.  Meanwhile, the ROYG is 
pressuring donors to require licensing when making their 
decisions to award funding.  (Note: One of the most 
established and reputable human rights NGOs in Yemen, HOOD, 
has been operating for 11 years without a license due to the 
ROYG's refusal to issue a license.  End Note.)  Enforcing the 
current NGO law, the ROYG has also shut down 1500 "fake" 
NGOs, ostensibly for operating as front organizations ) in 
some cases for terrorist finance and money laundering 
activities.  While the ROYG claims that it is targeting 
specific NGOs due to their connections with nefarious 
activities, Shami alleges that the ROYG is also using the law 
to target some NGOs for political reasons. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6.  Despite efforts by the ROYG to control the NGO sector by 
introducing a new, more restrictive NGO law, Yemeni civil 
society has potential, and will resist being controlled by 
the central government as long as funding is available.  The 
MEPI local grants program, for its part, has assisted in 
solidifying the development of civil society.  Civil society 
leaders remain in touch with and responsive to people at the 
grassroots level.  As a result, civil society leaders and 
their respective CSOs informally act as both an "alternative 
society" and an "alternative governance structure," providing 
space for both expression and action, however limited.  Post 
recommends the continuation and preferably the increase of 
MEPI local grants funding to Yemen in the future.  End 
Comment. 
BRYAN