West Bank/Gaza– As part of a CIPE-supported project to strengthen corporate and democratic governance, the Palestine Governance Institute (PGI) gave a detailed presentation on the 2014 budget formulated and approved by the Palestinian National Authority. PGI provided a comprehensive analysis of the budget, including an assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. The presentation was part of a high-profile event organized by Transparency Palestine.
Bahrain – From March 17-19, CIPE Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East Abdulwahab Alkebsi, and CIPE Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Program Officer Ali Ayadi visited Bahrain to meet with several stakeholders to learn about entrepreneurship and civic education initiatives in the country. Alkebsi and Ayadi met with leaders from key bodies that work to support entrepreneurship in Bahrain, including Tamkeen, the Bahrain Development Bank, the Bahrain Family Bank, Ebdaa Bank, and the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
CIPE co-hosts event entitled Yemen’s Ongoing National Dialogue; the Institute for Solidarity in Asia holds Performance Governance boot camp; CIPE partner in Kyrgyzstan holds evaluation training seminar
Iraq – CIPE partner the Iraqi Businessmen Union organized a roundtable discussion for the Iraqi private sector in preparation for an upcoming public-private dialogue event with policymakers. Participants reviewed the Consumer Protection Law’s effects on the business community and identified priority issues and recommendations, for which they will advocate at the upcoming dialogue. Thirty-five participants contributed to the event, including an economic advisor to the parliament, a former parliamentarian, and representatives from business associatio
The Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry hold board meeting and conference; CIPE and its Yemeni partner organize strategy meeting on engaging in National Dialogue process; CIPE partner in Kenya hosts forum on public and private sector leadership
Egypt – CIPE partner the Federation of Economic Development Associations (FEDA) organized a roundtable in the city of Port Said to discuss challenges and barriers facing small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the Port Said Governorate. Around 40 business owners, along with government officials, participated in the roundtable, in which they shared their problems and recommended legal and regulatory changes to facilitate investment in Port Said. They discussed financial obstacles to the business environment, including limited access to finance.
Iraq – CIPE partner the Kurdistan Information and Strategic Studies Center (KISSC) officially presented the Kurdistan Business Agenda (KBA) to the Kurdistan Regional Government. KISSC led the private sector efforts to develop the KBA, which provides recommendations for legislative and regulatory reforms to improve the business environment in the Kurdish region. The private sector will use the KBA as an advocacy tool as it engages policymakers in democratic dialogue.
Iraq – On September 11, CIPE partner the Sahara Economic Development Organization (SEDO) led efforts to create a public-private committee on tourism charged with developing and implementing market-oriented public policies to expand the tourism industry in Salahaddin, Iraq. These policies will be informed by the chapter on tourism in the Salahaddin Provincial Business Agenda (PBA), whose creation was spearheaded by SEDO with CIPE support.
Iraq – CIPE partner the Kurdistan Economic Development Organization (KEDO) led the recently developed Kurdish Transparency and Accountability Board’s July workshop at the Kurdish Regional Parliament. The board, a public-private forum that formed as an outgrowth of a CIPE-supported program with KEDO, discussed its progress to date in enhancing transparency within the Kurdistan Regional Government, including the budgeting process and in extractive industries.
