US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI3037

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003037 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/RA; NEA/PPD; ARP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, ETRD, SOCI, SCUL, BTIO, EAID, PGOV 
SUBJECT:  UAE MEPI COUNTRY STRATEGY 
 
REFS: A) STATE 126550; B) ABU DHABI 000325; 
 
      C) ABU DHABI 00497 
 
1. SUMMARY: Following is the UAE's country strategy for MEPI, 
which has been developed by PA and coordinated with POL and ECON. 
This includes long-term goals, specific objectives, suggested 
mechanisms by which goals could be realized, and a request for 
funding for two UAE-specific projects. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. Economic reform: 
 
GOAL: Enhance the UAE's global competitiveness through support 
for its integration into the global economy: 
 
Objectives: Assist the UAEG to comply with its WTO obligations 
and to actively participate in WTO fora; support trade-related 
institution-building; 
 
Mechanisms: Conduct targeted WTO seminars and training; 
 
GOAL: Judicial Reform: Foster transparency and consistency in 
legal proceedings and rendition of judgments; 
 
Objectives:  Educate UAE judges and prosecutors on more efficient 
court administration and case management and sensitize them on 
key legal issues, including prevailing norms on protection of 
intellectual property rights; 
 
Mechanisms: Encourage active participation by Ministry of Justice 
officials and judges in the future Judicial Training Institute in 
Manama; encourage attendance by high-level MOJ officials at the 
upcoming Judicial Reform Forum in Manama; invite MOJ officials to 
attend IV programs on court administration and case management; 
engage with MOJ's Judicial Training Institute, Dubai Justice 
Department's Judicial Training Institute and the UAE Jurists 
Association on possible training or exchanges. 
 
GOAL:  Address looming problem of unemployment among young 
nationals, which has negative implications for national 
stability; 
 
Objectives: Foster entrepreneurship among nationals, especially 
women; 
 
Mechanisms: Support existing and future programs to train 
nationals for private sector employment; Support existing women's 
business associations and programs that provide practical skills 
training and foster entrepreneurship among women; establish Arab 
Businesswomen or US-UAE Businesswomen network or mentoring 
program. 
 
3.  Political Reform: 
 
GOAL:  Encourage broader political participation, particularly by 
women, and strengthen civil society. 
 
Objectives: Expand and strengthen the role of NGOs and the media 
sector in the UAE; support training for members of the Federal 
National Council (FNC) and the elected councils in Dubai which 
will serve as the grassroots model for broader political 
participation in the UAE; enhance the professionalism and 
independence of both local and regional media in the UAE, which 
is fast becoming a major regional media hub; 
 
Mechanisms: We recommend initiatives, particularly regional 
projects, directed to women and NGOS through such tools as 
citizens' exchanges, International visitor programs, and programs 
such as MEET.  We also recommend that MEPI look to organize 
training workshops for media. Post has conducted some recently 
with great success. Journalists here welcome the opportunity to 
improve their skills and professionalism. Dubai represents an 
excellent location in which to conduct such workshops for the 
entire region. 
 
SPECIFIC PROJECT REQUEST: The appointed Federal National Council 
has requested that we organize a visit to the US in October 2003 
for eight persons, four FNC members and four staffers, to learn 
about the operation of federal and state legislatures. This is an 
unprecedented request and would provide an opening to strengthen 
the role of the FNC as an advocacy body for public concerns. 
Post requests that the MEPI office arrange for a US-based 
organization to take on the logistical and planning arrangements 
for this project.  We note that this is an unprecedented 
opportunity to effect some change in the traditionally static 
FNC. A proposal will be sent septel. 
 
4.  Education Reform: 
 
GOAL:  Help the UAE modernize its education system and curricula. 
 
Objectives: Train a work force with skills applicable to today's 
job market; Help the UAE promote an atmosphere of tolerance and 
moderation in its school curricula and system; 
 
Mechanisms: Curriculum revision and updating; Teacher training, 
including training for teachers on how to teach revised 
curricula, how to employ critical thinking and IT in the 
classroom; English language training for teachers in K-12; 
Accreditation: how to set standards for accreditation. (NOTE: 
Because of its multi-cultural population, the UAE has at least 16 
different kinds of school systems. US accreditation standards are 
of particular interest and importance here. END NOTE) 
 
SPECIFIC PROJECT REQUEST:  Post requests a grant of $41,000 to 
award locally to Zayed University's School for the Professional 
Development of UAE Educators to conduct workshops for UAE 
educators to improve the teaching methodology of national 
teachers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.  A more detailed proposal will 
be sent septel. 
 
5. COMMENT and REQUEST:  As MEPI has begun to take shape, and we 
have had time to reflect upon how we might best apply it here, we 
have come to the realization that our strategy must be two- 
pronged: both regional and local. Post will participate in the 
many regional programs - both MEPI and P4L - now underway or in 
planning. There are however, many opportunities which offer 
themselves within the UAE which we cannot take advantage of 
without access to direct and flexible funding. In the last six 
months, we have reached out to a wide range of UAE institutions 
to seek them as partners and stakeholders with us in implementing 
MEPI projects. These include the universities, the ministries, 
the Emirates News Agency, judicial training institutes, and 
others. We seek to empower these local partners and to draw them 
fully into the MEPI process, and they are eager to participate. 
They alone have the expertise to reach deep into the local 
community and engage a wider range of Emiratis.  Post requests 
therefore that a small-grants program be added to the MEPI 
arsenal of tools available to us, grants of up to $50,000 or 
$100,000 which can be awarded by posts through an agreed-upon 
mechanism. All PAOs have grant authority which would allow them 
to draft and issue grants at post. END COMMENT and REQUEST 
 
WAHBA