Regional Programs
EXAMPLES OF OUR IMPACT
- USAID has built a regional network of more than 3,000 young community leaders.
- USAID programs have trained bloggers and journalists to provide accurate information to the public.
- USAID has designed tools for water managers, including a water cycle model, developed with NASA.
CONTACTS
Office Director, USAID/Egypt
Kim Delaney
1/A Ahmed Kamel off El-Laselki
New Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
Tel: 20-2-2522-6846
Acting Desk Officer
Christopher Kisco
Tel: (202) 712-1027
Email: ckisco@usaid.gov
Egyptian and Palestinian Peace Scholars enjoy a sunny afternoon at the University of California, Santa Cruz. During a year of undergraduate study in the United States, students from the Middle East and North Africa expand their own leadership potential, experience America, and form close bonds with their peers from across the region. Overview
The United States has long supported a prosperous, stable, and democratic Middle East and North Africa. The government of the United States is committed to helping develop a region that is at peace and that actively participates in the free exchange of ideas, goods, and services.
USAID's Office of Middle East Programs, based in Cairo, Egypt, seeks to advance peace and prosperity for the citizens of the Middle East and North Africa. It works on regional and trans-boundary programs that empower youth, promote a culture of democracy, and address the culture and governance of water. Partnerships with businesses and local organizations enhance these efforts with additional expertise and resources.
Programs
Peace and Security
The Middle East and North Africa faces a demographic explosion. More than half of the region's population is under the age of 24, and more than one-quarter of its young people are unemployed. This massive youth bulge is both an opportunity and a challenge. USAID invests in young people, so they have the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to succeed in today's society. This includes investing in leaders and role models, supporting educational media, and offering practical and job-related training and opportunities.
USAID's Peace Scholars program brings 30 promising young leaders from across the region to the United States annually for one year of undergraduate study. The program emphasizes leadership, community service, and opportunities to explore America's culture and values. Another university program seeks to expand job opportunities for Algerian graduates by strengthening business training and job placement programs at Algeria's Mentouri University through a U.S. university partnership.
Working closely with an Arab production firm and a regional satellite broadcaster, USAID is creating compelling youth television programming. These programs are designed to build tolerance, promote critical thinking, and encourage common values for success in a global society.
Talented young leaders must be nurtured and encouraged. In partnership with local organizations, USAID supports training, activities, and networks that develop the potential of promising young men and women to contribute to their communities. USAID also provides grants to civic leaders carrying out creative programs that make a significant impact on their communities. Resources for these "social entrepreneurs" include mentoring, training, and access to global philanthropic networks. In addition, USAID works across borders to mobilize Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian champions to help restore the Lower Jordan River and to show that they can achieve important results by working together.
Governing Justly and Democratically
Corruption diverts billions of dollars from social services and development. It also drains the credibility and legitimacy of governments and political leadership. Addressing this issue requires a culture of democracy that values pluralism, participation, and accountability. USAID works with civil society and the media to strengthen regional linkages and increase access to information. At the same time, in partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAID also helps build the capacity of government officials to address money laundering and other transnational aspects of corruption.
USAID supports a regional network of anti-corruption activists analyzing the legal environment for corruption and creating tools to advocate for more transparent systems. The regional media program trains online journalists and traditional media to build their professionalism and ability to provide balanced information to the public. Freedom of information enables citizens to hold governments accountable for public services and just governance.
Investing In People
In the Middle East and North Africa, water is used faster than it can be replenished. Host to 5 percent of the world's population, the region has only 1 percent of the world's renewable fresh water. Agriculture, which is vital to regional economies, consumes 80 percent of that water. As people consume resources, tensions over water, arable land, and other natural resources become inevitable.
Using existing resources more efficiently requires a transformation of the governance and culture of natural resources. USAID works with national governments and regional organizations to strengthen cooperation. This includes jointly monitoring water quality and sharing technical data. In partnership with NASA, USAID is using remote sensing to collect water data to provide policy makers and managers with accurate information upon which to base their decisions. Another program works with water managers, academics, and environmentalists to design a benchmarking system that will enable countries to compare, guide, and monitor national progress on water governance.
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