1、1 “The Middle East Partnership Initiative: Building Hope for the Years Ahead,” U.S. Departmentof State, December 12, 2002.Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21457Updated July 20, 2005The Middle East Partnership Initia
2、tive: An Overviewname redactedMiddle East Policy AnalystForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryThe Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is a program designed to promotepolitical, economic, and educational development in the Middle East. This reportprovides an overview of the MEPI pr
3、ogram, its perception in the Middle East, and itsrole in the debate over U.S. efforts to promote democracy in the Arab world. ForFY2006, the Bush Administration has requested $120 million for MEPI. For FY2005,Congress appropriated $75 million for MEPI, half of the Presidents original request.MEPI ha
4、s received an estimated $294 million in funding since its creation in FY2002.This report will be updated as developments unfold. OverviewOn December 12, 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced the creation ofthe Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a program designed, in the words ofSe
