MFA CONVENES G-8 TO DISCUSS FORUM FOR THE FUTURE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001484

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NEA FOR PDAS CHENEY, DAS CARPENTER, ARPI, PI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KDEM PHUM KMPI KPAO BA
SUBJECT: MFA CONVENES G-8 TO DISCUSS FORUM FOR THE FUTURE,
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER


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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) The MFA convened G-8 Ambassadors and Charges October
7 to outline Forum for the Future (Forum) conference plans
and discuss support for the Center for Entrepreneurial
Excellence in Bahrain (CEEB). MFA Assistant Under Secretary
for Coordination and Follow Up and meeting chair Shaikh
Abdulaziz bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa said it would be important
to showcase tangible results during the Forum and cited the
CEEB as a good example. The MFA will seek financial support
for the CEEB at a November 11 pledge meeting. Shaikh
Abdulaziz said the GOB supports the activities of a parallel
forum organized by regional civil society representatives
within predetermined parameters. Foreign Minister Khalid bin
Ahmed Al Khalifa will host a dinner for foreign ministers
(FMs) the evening of November 11, with the Ministerial itself
to be held on November 12. End Summary.

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THREE SESSIONS OUTLINED
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2. (U) MFA Assistant Under Secretary Shaikh Abdulaziz bin
Mubarak Al-Khalifa and Director of Bilateral Relations Dr.
Dhafer Alumran chaired a meeting of G-8 Ambassadors and
Charges October 7 to discuss planning for the Forum for the
Future. Shaikh Abdulaziz said the main session of the Forum
would be comprised of three programs covering G-8/BMENA
initiatives, civil society initiatives and the Democracy
Assistance Dialogue.


3. (U) Shaikh Abdulaziz noted that of the seven G-8/BMENA
initiatives identified in Rabat, four have progressed to the
point of having reportable findings. He noted that each of
these have an education component. The initiatives are:
Education Systems and Schools (sponsored by Jordan with
cooperation from Egypt),Vocational Training (sponsored by
Jordan, Japan and Germany),Entrepreneurship (adopted by
Bahrain and Morocco) and Combating Illiteracy (sponsored by
Afghanistan and Algeria).


4. (U) The civil society initiatives include: Women's
Empowerment and Employment (October 1-2 Bahrain-sponsored
forum hosted by Bahrain University),Combating Corruption
(September 26-27 U.K.-sponsored forum conducted by
Transparency International in Beirut),Rule of Law (September
27-28 U.S.-sponsored forum conducted by the American Bar
Association),and Human Rights (tentative November 7-8
Qatar-sponsored forum). The Democracy Assistance Dialogue
session (sponsored by Italy, Yemen and Turkey) would provide
a fuller picture of the reform that needs to take place in
the BMENA region. Shaikh Abdulaziz said that there was
currently no set time to discuss the Fund and Foundation for
the Future, and suggested they would be announced at the end
of the meeting on November 12th.

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CEEB
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5. (U) Shaikh Abdulaziz said that the success of the Forum
would rise or fall on the strength of what is reported in the
session findings, and emphasized that it would be important
to point to tangible achievements. He said the CEEB
represented a real opportunity to showcase a G-8 achievement.


6. (U) CEEB Executive Advisor David Mosby briefed on the
status of the Center and requested broader G-8
participation/contributions. The UK Ambassador announced
that the Global Opportunities Fund would support the center,
though details were still unclear.


7. (U) In a separate October 11 meeting, Alumran told
Pol/Econ Chief that the GOB would hold a pledge meeting for
the CEEB to take place at the Forum conference November 11 at
the deputies level.

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PARALLEL FORUM ADDRESSED
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8. (U) Shaikh Abdulaziz said that an MFA steering committee
had decided in May that the GOB would facilitate a parallel
forum for civil society representatives on the conditions
that the topics not duplicate those already being addressed
in the Forum, and that the topics be consistent with the
regional scope adopted by the Forum. It was also decided
that participants represent registered NGOs in their home
countries.


9. (SBU) Shaikh Abdulaziz said civil society officials
planning the parallel forum had indicated that the topics
they intend to address are Women and Politics and the
Modernization of Islam.

MONROE