RIYADH, 19 March 2005 — Alina L. Romanowski, director of the office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), said the United States was going ahead with the initiative with the support of governments and people in the region.
“We are on the right track and I am very optimistic,” she said. Romanowski said MEPI has allocated $75 million for 2005 to carry out various programs.
“We have asked for $420 million for the next year,” she said in an interview with Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News.
She accused skeptics of trying to create suspicion about the initiative. “I think that as we move forward the people would understand that this is an initiative and objective that the United States is supporting in this region. Again, it is a partnership with the people of the region and the region itself has to take a lot of credit for undertaking its own reforms,” she added.
US President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Colin Powell launched the initiative in 2002 to support what is already emerging as reforms and changes in the Middle East.
MEPI gives support to governments and organizations to promote economic prosperity, achieve political reforms and strengthen the emerging democratic institutions, the rule of law, good governance and free and independent media.
In the education sector, it backs efforts to make the education systems much more relevant to the work force. Women’s empowerment is another major objective as MEPI works to make sure that half of the society is well represented in economic and political activities.
Romanowski said the initiative would promote dialogue to encourage political and economic reforms. “The dialogue would focus on how to make the youth better prepared for the job market and how we can create economic and trade opportunities in the region.”
She said the purpose of her visit to Saudi Arabia was to attend the Saudi-US Dialogue in Jeddah and to hold discussions with Saudi people on what they are thinking about in terms of initiatives for reform. She met with officials in the Ministry of Education as well as members of the Shoura Council on various issues of mutual concern.
Asked why the US was seeking the support of the European Union to carry out the initiative, she said: “I think the question is not that we could not carry it on alone, but it is that you can be more effective if you work with strong partners, with the force in the region and friends in the international community.”
Romanowski spoke about the emergence of an active civil society in the region. “I think creating the opportunity for partnerships between civil society groups in countries where they are well developed and putting them in touch with those who are going to emerge is very important. You also have to have the political will from the top to allow this to exist. It is a partnership between the governments and the people,” she added.
She said the Iraqi elections were inspiring. “There is a political process moving forward to build strong and democratic government in Iraq, I think this is a very positive force in the region,” she stated.
Asked about future programs, Romanowski said she expected many things to happen after the Future Forum in Bahrain and the Sea Island summit.
“There are a lot of opportunities under both the broader Middle East and North Africa and the Middle East Partnership and also what have been done by other institutions to continue discussions. I think there is pretty active dialogue going on,” she said.
