DEMOCRATIC REFORM STRATEGY FOR OMAN - QUARTERLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 001493 SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI AND NEA/PI E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM KMPI ECON PHUM MU SUBJECT: DEMOCRATIC REFORM STRATEGY FOR OMAN - QUARTERLY REPORT REF: A. STATE 152818 ¶B. MUSCAT 792 Classified By: Ambassador Richard L. Baltimore III. Reason: 1.4 (d). ¶1. (SBU) The following quarterly update on mission implementation of the Oman Democratic Reform Strategy is keyed to the three goals established in ref A, namely: legislative strengthening, media reform and NGO empowerment. -------------- Legislative Strengthening -------------- ¶2. (C) The DCM-chaired MEPI Committee has formulated a strategy for supporting Oman's proto-parliament (the Majlis al-Shura) as it evolves into a true legislature. The development of the Majlis al-Shura from a wholly appointed talking shop to a completely elected consultative council has been slow but steady. We plan to continue to work closely with the Majlis al-Shura and with other actors, including the International Republican Institute (IRI),to continue its development into a genuine, democratic and truly representative institution. ¶3. (C) Embassy officers over the next quarter will continue to engage key parliamentarians of both chambers to identify practical measures to help bring about the evolution of a genuine legislature. Based on previous conversations, we intend to: a) Encourage Majlis al-Shura deputies to hold public hearings with concerned citizens to elevate the Majlis al-Shura's public standing and profile; b) Assist the adoption of a set of parliamentary rules, akin to the Jordanian model; c) Promote the unification of the two separate houses' secretariats; SIPDIS d) Follow up on an informal proposal to work with the Ministry of Social Development on a voter education campaign with a local women,s NGO prior to the 2007 elections. ¶4. (C) Actions This Quarter: -- Ongoing discussions with Majlis al-Shura staff that identified some of the measures listed in paragraph 3; -- Informal consultations with Foreign Ministry supporters of MEPI activities; -- Consultations with International Republican Institute; -- Embassy hosted visit of NEA/PI David Mulenex to confer on strategy and meet with Omani contacts. -------------- Media Reform -------------- ¶5. (C) The MEPI Committee has formulated an action strategy for the coming quarter and beyond. Embassy officers will engage key media interlocutors to unify an approach for reforming the government's existing means for controlling the media, through both deregulation and privatization. Key players will include senior management of existing media firms, and investors with pending license applications for new media outlets including radio stations. A technical assistance package might be required. ¶6. (C) Actions This Quarter: -- Consultations with Foreign Ministry; -- Strategy adopted by MEPI Committee. -------------- NGO Empowerment -------------- ¶7. (C) With the goal of increasing public space for NGOs and advocacy groups, and expanding the number of registered NGOs to 25 by December 2006, the MEPI Committee has adopted a two-pronged strategy of working both with the Ministry of Social Development, which regulates NGOs. ¶8. (C) Actions This Quarter (or before): -- We succeeded in obtaining a request from the Minister of Social Development last May to place a bilingual U.S. advisor in her ministry, who will hopefully serve as a catalyst to expedite the NGO registration process and improve the efficacy of existing NGOs; -- We facilitated appointments with NGOs such as Vital Voices for the Minister of Social Development when she traveled to New York in September as part of Oman's delegation to the UN Summit; -- The Embassy hosted the September visit of NEA/PI David Mulenex who held some highly productive meetings that identified how the Ministry could work with MEPI, especially re the Ministry,s efforts to empower women; -- The Embassy secured MEPI support for sponsoring a MEPI booth at the first-ever "Women's Expo" to take place in Muscat in mid-December; -- The Ministry of Social Development registered a new professional association, the Omani Internal Auditors Association in August; -- An embassy event brought together NGO and Ministry of Social Development representatives who initiated an informal discussion of the constraints facing NGOs; -- The Embassy has reached out to Oman women who have formed an informal NGO advisory committee to assist the Minister of Social Development. ¶9. (C) Our plans for near-term next steps include: -- Replying to the Ministry of Social Development's concept paper for a technical advisor; -- Submitting a detailed scope of work for both the advisor and for technical assistance to the Oman Women's Associations; -- Publicizing 2005 MEPI Small Grants for two local NGOs to spur further interest in NGO and advocacy groups; -- Requesting a training program for NGOs on how to recruit, manage and motivate volunteers; -- Soliciting proposals for 2006 MEPI Small Grants. BALTIMORE