Rabat Forum 2004

Nearly 30 nations of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) and their G-8 partners met with other democratic partners in Rabat, Morocco at the first meeting of the "Forum for the Future" on December 11, 2004. The meeting represented a determined step in building a historic partnership to advance political, economic, and social reform and progress in the region. Secretary of State Colin Powell co-chaired the ministerial-level meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa. Ministers discussed reform efforts in the region and reviewed progress on initiatives launched at the G-8 summit at Sea Island, Georgia in June 2004. Representatives from the Civil Society and Business Dialogues presented their recommendations.

On June 9, 2004, members of the G8 nations adopted a declaration titled "Partnership for Progress and a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North Africa," at the Sea Island Summit near Savannah, Georgia. This was seen as a historic step in the "efforts to advance freedom, democracy, and prosperity in the region."

The commitment to pursue political, economic and social reform in the BMENA region was later reaffirmed at the UN General Assembly by Foreign Ministers and representatives from twenty-four countries on September 23-24, 2004.

The Kingdom of Morocco hosted the first "Forum for the Future" on December 11, 2004 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Rabat. A preparatory sub-ministerial meeting was held on December 10, 2004 in the same venue. The announcement by the Kingdom of Morocco can be found at www.maec.gov.ma/future.

As the centerpiece of the partnership with the BMENA region, the Forum brought together Foreign and Economic Ministers from the G8 and the BMENA region. Bahrain will host the next "Forum for the Future" in November 2005.