Consulate General News 2009
Secretary's remarks at the Forum for the Future Reaffirm U.S. Commitment to Engagement with Muslim Communities
November 3, 2009 – In remarks at the Forum for the Future in Marrakesh, Morocco, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to engagement with Muslim communities with a focus on civil society, entrepreneurship and economic development, education, scientific and technological collaboration, women’s empowerment, and interfaith cooperation. The initiatives advance the ideas in President Obama’s “New Beginning” speech earlier this year in Cairo, Egypt.
The Forum for the Future is a joint civil society initiative of the countries of the Broader Middle East and North Africa region (BMENA) and the Group of Eight (G8). It brings together leaders from government, civil society and the private sector to exchange ideas and form partnerships to support progress, reform, and expanded opportunities for the people of the region.
BMENA participants are Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen.
The G8 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The BMENA initiative addresses many of the same themes President Obama articulated in his Cairo speech – including public-private partnerships – and it is a natural partner for making progress in key areas – including economic opportunity, education, good governance, human rights, and women’s empowerment. It places particular emphasis on increasing opportunity for the youth of the region.
Transcript of Secretary Clinton’s remarks (English and Arabic)
Forum for the Future and Examples of U.S. Support for Civil Society (English and Arabic)
Civil Society 2.0 Initiative to Build Capacity of Grassroots Organizations (English and Arabic)