The Broader Middle East and North Africa nations include Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, West Bank/Gaza and Yemen.

For the first time since 2004, the United States has assumed the G-8 Presidency for 2012 and, in that role, has co-chair responsibilities for the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) initiative.  The BMENA initiative is a multilateral effort to promote cooperation between the G-8 and BMENA governments and civil society to advance reform efforts throughout the region.  The United States has invited Tunisia to serve as BMENA co-chair, marking the first time that two democracies have led the initiative.

To assist the government co-chairs in developing themes, agendas, and concrete efforts to promote reform in the MENA region, each country selects an NGO partner.  The NGO partners coordinate closely with each other and with the co-chair governments in support of BMENA activities, culminating in the ministerial-level Forum for the Future, which will be held in Tunisia in December 2012. 

The League has accepted the invitation to partner with the United States as its 2012 BMENA Initiative NGO partner. The role of the League is to organize 10 preparatory meetings that will take place in 8 different countries between April and October, efforts which will culminate with the ministerial meeting in December.  The League efforts are going by a team of three headed by Zaida Arguedas.   The League’s Global Democracy Program worked in Egypt and in Tunisia in 2011 and has strong ties with local organizations.

See the final publication of the 8th Forum for the Future 2011 below.