JULY 18 MEETING OF THE EMBASSY'S INSTITUTIONS OF

UNCLAS CAIRO 005591 SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR NEA, NEA/ELA, NEA/PI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KDEM KMPI PGOV PREL EG SUBJECT: JULY 18 MEETING OF THE EMBASSY'S INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRACY WORKING GROUP (IDWG) REF: CAIRO 5446 Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Charge chaired the July 18 meeting of the Embassy's Institutions of Democracy Working Group (IDWG),which was attended by the USAID Director, USAID Democracy and Governance (D & G) staff, PAO, ECPO Counselor, and ECPO staff. The meeting included discussion on facilitating USG-funded election assistance, a review of pending elections-related grants, and an update on MEPI Regional Director Peter Mulrean's current trip to Egypt. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) In discussing USG-funded assistance to support the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, USAID first reviewed grants (per reftel) signed June 30 to the National Democratic Institute ($1,000,000); the Arab Penal Reform Organization, a coalition of Egyptian NGOs organizing domestic election monitoring efforts ($246,600); and the International Center for Journalists ($493,350). USAID also reviewed the contract ($1,300,000) signed June 30 for the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES),which focuses on voter education, civic dialogue, and support for the presidential and parliamentary election commissions. ¶3. (SBU) IDWG members discussed strategy for communicating and working with the presidential and parliamentary election commissions, highlighting the need to stay apprised of the commissions' membership and activities. IDWG members agreed on the importance of developing good relationships with these commissions. ¶4. (SBU) The IDWG also reviewed and approved pending elections-related grants, which are expected to be signed by July 30, to the International Republican Institute (IRI) ($1,000,000),IFES ($360,000),and the Public Administration Research and Consultation Center (PARC) of Cairo University ($99k). Specifically: --IRI's activities will involve assessing the electoral environment (party activities, candidate platforms, and media coverage) and providing political parties with electorate survey research; --IFES' grant proposal (different from the contract signed June 30) focuses on disabled voter access to polling stations; --PARC's proposal seeks to contribute to the engagement of marginalized youth in the electoral and political processes, through promoting knowledge of democratic practices and processes among university-age students, including women. IDWG members agreed that these proposals would make significant contributions to improved democratic practices as Egypt gears up for presidential and legislative elections this fall. ¶5. (SBU) ECPO staff also updated the IDWG on the visit of MEPI Regional Director Peter Mulrean, who had just returned to Cairo after productive meetings in Alexandria with 3 MEPI grantees and the Biblioteca Alexandrina (septel). Visit Embassy Cairo's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/cairo You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. JONES