US embassy cable - 04MANAMA444

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 000444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/PI AND NEA/ARP 
CAIRO FOR STEVE BONDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMPI, EAID, ECON, PREL, KPAO, BA 
SUBJECT: MEPI FY 2004 FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS 
 
REF: A) STATE 055472, B) 03 MANAMA 2921, C) 03 MANAMA 2391 
 
1. (U) Post's MEPI working group met on March 23 to review 
ref A.  The following is the Mission's response. 
 
CROSS PILLAR 
 
2. (U) Post's MEPI working group is considering four MEPI 
small grants.  Post will advise MEPI of details via email 
per reftel. 
 
ECONOMIC PILLAR 
 
3. (U) In conjunction with the FTA negotiation process, a 
U.S. interagency team is coordinating with the Government of 
Bahrain to identify and prioritize Bahrain's trade-related 
technical assistance needs to implement FTA effectively. 
 
4. (U) Post welcomes the continued funding of the MEET U.S. 
program.  Last year, post sent two participants to the MEET 
U.S. hospital administration program.  The program was 
timely, giving post the opportunity to respond positively to 
a Ministry of Health request for USG technical assistance to 
foster its hospital administration reorganization.  Post has 
one request in conjunction with the MEET U.S. program: 
paperwork reduction.  Given stretched resources at post 
(which will only be stretched further with FTA 
implementation), it would be helpful if the officer 
paperwork required to follow up on the interview process 
could be reduced to a single page of the most pertinent 
information (e.g., officer assessments, vice information 
already covered in the candidates' paperwork) that the 
Washington MEET U.S. team needs to make its candidate 
selection.  This reduction will make it easier for busy 
posts to review and submit applications for the program. 
 
POLITICAL PILLAR 
 
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NDI CONTINUES TO BE IN HIGH DEMAND 
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5. (U) Post fully supports funding for regional campaign 
schools. 
 
6. (U) NDI's solid reputation for delivering quality 
programming is attracting demand for NDI's services from 
across Bahrain's political spectrum.  The Secretary General 
of Bahrain's Supreme Council for Women recently asked NDI's 
local representative to develop a training program for women 
active in politics.  The Minister of the Royal Court, who 
sponsors NDI's presence in Bahrain, invited NDI to develop a 
curriculum to train government officials to respond more 
effectively to parliamentary questioning and other 
requirements of a democratic government.  National Assembly 
members highly value NDI's activities and are constantly 
asking EMBOFFs to increase NDI interventions with Assembly 
members and staff.  More recently, Bahrain's constellation 
of political societies asked NDI's local representative to 
facilitate a "retreat" to foster dialogue on the country's 
political future.  We think this event could begin a process 
that could heal the split in Bahrain's political elite that 
emerged after the promulgation of the 2002 constitution. 
Post encourages NEA/PI to make a large allocation to NDI to 
support the development of political organizations in 
Bahrain. 
 
7. (SBU)  On March 25, NDI permanently transferred 
parliamentary specialist Audrey McLaughlin from Bahrain to 
Morocco because of insufficient funds to support her 
presence here.  McLaughlin's departure leaves a large hole 
in our democracy support line-up and limits our ability to 
respond to demand.  We hope NEA/PI can increase funding for 
NDI democracy support activities this fiscal year.  NDI is, 
right now, the only quality service provider in town.  If it 
cannot meet the demand, local officials will turn to NDI's 
competitors, like UNDP, which provides a higher cost service 
with very weak democracy content. 
 
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HERE WE GO AGAIN - IFES 
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8. (U) Election Assistance (IFES).  Post can support a 
senior IFES official's visit to approach GOB officials to 
offer a project assessment.  If the GOB formally accepts 
this offer, the Embassy can support the conducting of an 
IFES study.  Bahrain's next elections are scheduled for FY05 
and FY06.  The GOB is proud of its election administration 
system and has never asked us, or anyone else for that 
matter, for assistance to improve what the GOB believes to 
be a very successful system. 
 
9. (U) IFES also must overcome a significant credibility 
problem with the GOB.  A previous project here ended badly 
and left some key GOB officials very bitter towards the 
organization. (see refs B AND C).  We feel boosting funding 
for NDI would be a better use of additional MEPI democracy 
spending in Bahrain. 
 
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PARLIAMENTARY STRENGTHENING - ONE NGO ONLY, PLEASE 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
10. (U) Post has reviewed this IRI proposal, of which the 
bulk of its funding goes to Morocco and Jordan.   Secondary 
project goals for the Gulf States encourage multi-party 
political systems and increase the numbers of candidates for 
political office.  NDI Program Manager Fawzi Guleid has been 
successfully achieving these goals for the last 18 months in 
Bahrain.  Guleid is well-respected and a much sought after 
commodity in Bahraini society.  Post strongly suggests that 
MEPI increase funding to NDI for parliamentary strengthening 
activities, rather than introduce another U.S. NGO.  Bahrain 
is a small place and we have a small embassy with limited 
resources.  Supporting more than two major political 
activities here (NDI and ABA) is beyond current Embassy 
resources to oversee. 
 
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JUDICIAL REFORM AND THE ABA - A GOOD FIT 
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11. (U) Judicial and Legal Reform (ABA). MEPI currently 
funds the American Bar Association's judicial reform project 
in Bahrain.  The four main areas of reform are case 
management, alternative dispute resolution, prosecutor 
training and judicial training. The ABA and the Minister of 
Justice are currently negotiating a Memorandum of 
Understanding (MOU) that outlines how ABA can achieve the 
goals and objectives of the reform project.  Once the MOU is 
signed between the ABA and the MOJ, Post strongly recommends 
continued funding for this ABA program. 
 
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CIVIC EDUCATION 
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12. (U) Post strongly supports continuing funding for Arab 
Civic Education Programs.  The Project Director visited 
Bahrain in February and we are awaiting follow up to the 
first visit. 
 
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MEDIA 
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13. (U) Post concurs with MEPI's decision to evaluate the 
results of the InterNews media training program prior to 
investing further in this project.  We welcome other 
initiatives to support the emergence of a transparent and 
independent media and to continue to reach out and engage 
the next generation of media professionals.  Post encourages 
MEPI to consider projects with broad exposure to U.S. media, 
such as U.S.-based internships for communications students 
and short-term fellowships/professional development 
opportunities for  established journalists who cannot leave 
their jobs for a long period of time. 
 
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EDUCATION PILLAR 
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14. (U) Post is awaiting Ministry of Education approval of 
the "My Arabic Library" program.  Representatives from 
Scholastic Books will visit post April 18-21 to meet with 
Ministry officials about the program.  Depending on the 
Ministry's response, we may want to participate in expansion 
of the program to other grade levels. 
 
15. (U) Post strongly supports continued (and increased) 
funding of the student leaders program.  We have had 
outstanding candidates for these programs and the   Ministry 
of Education and University of Bahrain have emphasized that 
leadership opportunities for students are among their 
highest priorities as well.  ECA's excellent management and 
oversight of these programs has been key, in post's view. 
 
16. (U) Post enthusiastically supports the University 
Linkages Program and its continuation.  We currently oversee 
two very productive MEPI linkages with the University of 
Bahrain.  (Comment:  The University's Vice President 
recently told the PAO:  "We have dozens of relationships on 
paper with other universities, but the two MEPI linkages are 
the most successful ones we've had - they are really 
accomplishing something."  Kudos to ECA since both linkages 
were initiated by former U.S. Fulbright professors who 
taught at the University of Bahrain.)  Post has requested 
that these linkages be extended in FY 04 via sep email.  We 
appreciate MEPI's rapid response to our request, which 
included explicit instructions on what the U.S. institutions 
need to do to apply for extensions. 
 
17. (U) Post strongly agrees with MEPI's decision to 
postpone expansion of CRI in Bahrain.  Due to the structure 
of the Ministry of Education, the Child Centered Schools 
program is unworkable in Bahrain. 
 
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WOMEN'S PILLAR 
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18. (U) Embassy Manama welcomes the opportunity to 
facilitate the participation of Bahraini women in regional 
MEPI women's pillar programs. 
 
19. (U) Post strongly supports continuation of the Business 
Internships Program for young business women.  It is our 
understanding that Bahrain will be able to send only one 
intern during the first year of the program due to funding 
constraints.  Given FTA negotiations and the importance of 
increasing the private sector in Bahrain, we would like to 
request that Bahrain be able to send up to three interns in 
the next year of this program. 
 
NEUMANN