BMENA - US Department of State

BMENA

Civil Society Assumes Prominent Role at Forum for the Future

Members of civil society organizations are taking a prominent place at the table during the proceedings of the second annual Forum for the Future, which brings together government and nongovernmental representatives from the countries of the broader Middle East and North Africa and the Group of Eight nations in Bahrain – an interaction that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried calls “remarkable.” (complete text)

Education Cited as Basis for Development, Economic Growth

Education is critical for social development and economic growth, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and every country has a duty to provide its children with the tools to succeed in the global-knowledge economy. "Education is the foundation of all our children's success," she tells delegates to the Group of Eight and Broader Middle East and North Africa Education Ministerial meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. (complete text)

New Human Rights and Democracy Report Highlights U.S. Efforts

The United States supported the growing global demand for greater personal and political freedom in 2005, according the annual report, Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record, 2005-2006. The report “describes the many ways American foreign policy helped citizens and governments around the globe turn their increasing demands for human rights and democracy into programs of action,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says. (complete text)

SPECIAL FEATURE Forum for the Future: Advancing Political and Economic Reform in the Middle East [pdf 262kb]