Regional Programs
MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA SNAPSHOT
Population: 311 million (2006)
Income per person: $2,481 (yr)
Source: World Development Indicators 2006
CONTACTS
Office Director, USAID/Egypt
David Barth
1/A Ahmed Kamel off El-Laselki
New Maadi, Cairo, Egypt
Tel: 20-2-2522-6846
Acting Desk Officer
Nathan Park
Tel: (202) 712-0262
Email: npark@usaid.gov 
Egyptian youth participate in one of several regional training workshops designed to help youth leaders expand their efforts to serve their communities and encourage others to do the same. Yassein, a young Egyptian who went to Lebanon as a volunteer facilitator, said he wondered why he had been asked to help. "It was only towards the end of the three-day workshop that I began to realize the answer...to meet youth, to inspire them through presenting them with positive role models is what the whole idea behind Siraj is all about." (Photo: Save the Children) 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, located in Cairo, Egypt, develops and carries out programs to address regional and cross-border issues. These programs invest in youth, promote good governance, and encourage a Blue Revolution in the water sector. Most of the programs are strengthened by partnerships with businesses and local organizations that bring additional expertise and resources. Currently, the private sector more than matches USAID's regional investments in youth leadership and educational media, for a total of almost $5 million, plus in-kind resources.
Programs
Peace and Security
A number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa face 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. If their energy and talents are harnessed, they can provide an enormous economic boost to the region. USAID invests in the region's youth with scholarships, educational media, and leadership training. The goal is to provide a better chance for success in life, including a good education, positive role models, practical skills, and opportunities.
USAID's Peace Scholarships bring 30 promising young leaders from across the region to the United States annually for one year of undergraduate study and leadership programs. Every participant takes part in an "Experience America" program to become familiar with American values. Upon returning home, participants receive ongoing support and training through regional networking.
Working closely with an Arab production firm and a regional satellite broadcaster, USAID is creating several compelling educational television series to reach young people across the region. These programs - developed by Arabs, for Arabs - are designed to build tolerance, promote critical thinking, and encourage common values that are necessary 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. The focus is on Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. USAID also provides grants to civic leaders carrying out creative programs that make a significant impact on their communities. Providing these "social entrepreneurs" with resources, mentoring, and other support enables them to continue or expand the important work they are doing in the region.
Governing Justly and Democratically
Corruption diverts billions of dollars from social services and development. This loss translates into poor schools; inadequate or absent health care; and unsafe infrastructure, food, and water. Corruption also drains the credibility and legitimacy of governments and political leadership. In the absence of government legitimacy, terrorist organizations can exploit public frustration and disillusionment.
There are a number of indigenous initiatives in the region to fight the scourge of corruption. Through training and workshops, USAID helps build the capacity of government officials and non-governmental organizations to address money laundering, terror financing, and other transnational aspects of corruption. USAID programs also support civic efforts to define the sources of corruption and increase accountability on the part of public leaders.
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. An exploding population and rapidly growing cities add to the demand. As people consume the trans-boundary waters flowing above and below ground, tensions over water become inevitable.
To address the potential for conflict over water, USAID has launched the Blue Revolution Initiative. It mitigates tensions over the management of shared water resources; supports increased efficiency in water use; and improves access to safe water and basic sanitation. The program emphasizes conservation, demand management, re-use, public participation, and the building of regional institutions. It also offers a program for young leaders, in order to help train the next generation of water managers in government and regional institutions.
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