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Fact Sheet:
Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative
June 9, 2004
"...[T]he United States has adopted a new policy, a forward strategy of freedom in the Middle East. This strategy requires the same persistence and energy and idealism we have shown before. And it will yield the same results. As in Europe, as in Asia, as in every region of the world, the advance of freedom leads to peace."
President George W. Bush
November 6, 2003
Washington, D.C.
Presidential Action
Today, President Bush led the G8 in establishing a historic "Partnership for Progress and a Common Future" with the Broader Middle East and North Africa to support efforts to advance freedom, democracy, and prosperity in the region. The G8 Leaders met with Leaders of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey, Yemen, and the new President of Iraq to discuss the challenges facing the region.
Calls for Reform: In November 2003, President Bush announced a "forward strategy of freedom" to advance freedom and democracy in the greater Middle East. Since then, the world has witnessed a gathering momentum for reform in the region: business and civil society leaders issued reform declarations at Aqaba, Sanaa, and Alexandria, where they declared that "reform is necessary and urgently needed." At the May 22-23 Arab League Summit, Arab leaders declared their determination to "firmly establish the basis for democracy."
"Partnership for Progress and a Common Future": President Bush led the G8 Leaders today in launching the historic "Partnership for Progress and a Common Future" to support political, economic, and social reform in the Broader Middle East and North Africa. To that end, the G8 agreed to:
- Establish a "Forum for the Future," which will bring together in one forum G8 and regional foreign, economic, and other ministers for regular discussions on reform, with business and civil society leaders participating in parallel dialogues. The inaugural meeting of the Forum will be held in the fall of 2004.
- Adopt a "Plan of Support" that will offer assistance through new initiatives:
The Plan of Support also commits the G8 to work in partnership with the region's governments, business leaders, and civil society to "intensify and expand" existing programs, focusing on: promoting democracy; improving education; and creating jobs and economic growth.
For the full text of the Partnership for Progress and a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North Africa, please click here.
Source: Official G8 Sea Island site
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