WASHINGTON, Dec 7 (AFP) - US officials have outlined a series of goals they expect to be reached at this week's "Forum for the Future" conference in Morocco on reform in the Middle East and North Africa.
Though less ambitious than what they might have initially hoped for the conference, the mainly financial and economic measures to be discussed could lay the groundwork for broader political reforms, the officials say.
Saturday's meeting is an outgrowth of the US-proposed "Broader Middle East and North Africa" (BMENA) initiative that was endorsed by the Group of Eight industrialized nations at a summit in June and will bring together foreign and finance ministers from more than 25 nations from Mauritius to Pakistan.
According to US officials, the conference should adopt or make significant progress on proposals to:
- Establish a microcredit scheme to make loans to small entrepreneurs.
- Create a 100-million-dollar regional fund to be administered by the International Finance Corporation for small business loans. The United States has already pledged 15 million dollars to the fund.
- Set up a task force on improving investment climates in the countries of the region.
- Develop centers to educate entrepreneurs and young business leaders.
- Improve literacy rates.
In addition, Italy, Turkey and Yemen will discuss their plans to lead a "Democracy Assistance Dialogue" that aims to bring government leaders and democracy advocates together to discuss possible changes.
Senior officials from the three nations met in Rome in late November to refine their agenda for the dialogue but details have not yet been made public.
12/07/2004 12:02 GMT - AFP