1、Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS22053February 15, 2005The Broader Middle East and North AfricaInitiative: An Overviewname redactedMiddle East Policy AnalystForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryThe Bro
2、ader Middle East and North Africa Initiative (BMENA) is a multilateraldevelopment and reform plan aimed at fostering economic and political liberalizationin a wide geographic area of Arab and non-Arab Muslim countries. In December 2004,the first BMENA meeting took place in Rabat, Morocco and was cal
3、led the “Forum forthe Future.”At the forum, foreign ministers and finance ministers of the countries in theregion stretching from Morocco to Pakistan as well as from the countries of the G8pledged to create several new development programs and committed $60 million to aregional fund for business dev
4、elopment. Critics of BMENA contend that the initiativefocuses too heavily on economic issues instead of political reform and does little tostrengthen non-governmental organizations and civil society groups in Arab and non-Arab Muslim countries. The 109th Congress may consider new democracy-promotion
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