Context
Mass protests, political upheavals, violent confrontations: since the beginning of 2011, the Arab Spring and its consequences have brought deep-seated changes to the Middle East and North Africa region. Yet many countries still face the challenges of weak economic performance and high unemployment. Young people have few prospects. In many places, political confrontations are settled with violence.
Objective
Measures are planned, monitored and evaluated as part of the special initiative for the stabilisation and development of the Middle East and North Africa region of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), using financing from the regional study and expert fund. Best practices are shared and BMZ is well placed to respond at short notice to changing needs.
Approach
With its special initiative for the stabilisation and development of the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA special initiative), BMZ is contributing to the stabilisation of the region, and the consolidation of peace.
In so doing it concentrates on four areas:
- Youth unemployment. Promoting youth employment provides young women and men with better prospects, thereby opening the way for their constructive participation in the development of their society.
- Economic stabilisation. Sustainable economic development creates employment opportunities in the medium and long term. Broad-based growth contributes to the reduction of poverty in the region.
- Democratisation. Transparency, the rule of law and freedom of opinion make political participation possible and help to develop a culture of democracy.
- Stabilisation of neighbouring countries in crisis situations. This makes it possible to contain the overall impacts of conflicts more effectively, while also stabilising neighbouring countries.
In 2014, BMZ provided a total of EUR 110 million for new projects under the initiative. Another EUR 105 million are to be disbursed in 2015, and further funding has been proposed for 2016.
This financing is used to commission GIZ and other implementing organisations to carry out individual projects. At present, the MENA special initiative concentrates on projects in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, the Palestinian territories, Tunisia and Yemen.
The study and expert fund for the special initiative is used for
• assessing and preparing the individual projects;
• managing, monitoring and observing the impacts of the special
initiative as a whole (crosscutting task);
• evaluating all the measures within the special initiative on behalf
of BMZ, the German Government, parliament and the media,
and supporting BMZ in communicating information related to
the measures; and
• as yet unforeseen measures that BMZ might require.