Dialogue with the Muslim world What is the future for The Arab Initiative

1
Dialogue with the Muslim world What is the
future for The Arab Initiative?

• Mogens Blom,
• Senior Technical Adviser, Ministry of Foreign
  Affairs
• TAS seminar
• 28 February 2006

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Summing up from Monday

• We are in the middle of the mist of the
  cartoon-issue. Dont know the full implications
  before later.
• However, we acknowledge that the issue will
  effect all areas of Danish Foreign Policy,
  including Development Assistance.
• The intention is to continue and strengthen
  Dialogue and cooperation with the Middle East.

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Where to go?

• Acknowleding that it is a long term task to
  rebuild the image of Denmark and relationship
  with the ME and Muslim world.
• Need for broad based efforts within
• Public Diplomacy
• Dialogue
• Cooperation

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Many Target Groups

• Governments
• Moderate/democratic Islamists
• Secular civil society
• The broad population
• The private sector

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Dialogue

• Government level
• Civil society
• Interreligious dialogue
• (Images of the Middle East Festival in Denmark)
• Islam Festival

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Cooperation

• Development Assistance. 15 partnership Countries
  (Many with considerable Muslim communities)
• Other countries with specific programmes of
  cooperation Sudan, PA, Afghanistan, Iraq,
  Indonesia and South Africa.
• Middle East
• Trade

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Arab Initiative at present

• Framework for a long term Danish cooperation with
  countries in the MENA region focusing on common
  problems and challenges.
• Two objectives
• To further dialogue and mutual understanding
• To support specific reform processes initiated in
  the region.

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Aim of dialogue

• To increase Danish dialogue with decisions makers
  in the MENA region
• To further better understanding and dismantling
  of mutual stereotypes.
• To strengthen the Danish resource base on the
  MENA region

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Two modalities

• Bilateral partnership programmes
• Regional thematic programmes

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Planned bilateral partnership programmes

• Yemen (2004)
• Jordan (2005)
• Morocco (2006)
• Algeria (2006-8)
• Lebanon (2006-8)
• Egypt (2006-8)
• Danish-Egyptian Dialogue Institute from 2005

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Planned regional thematic programmes

• Free press and Media (2004)
• Youth (2005)
• Culture - Images of the Middle East (2006)
• Human Rights (2005)
• Gender Equality and Womens Rights (2006)
• Labour Market (2006)

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Consideration on planning

• Modesty
• Long term perspective
• Broad consultations in the given country
  (covering both Government, opposition and Civil
  Society)

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Key principles (1)

• Acknowledgement of the fact that change processes
  will have to be generate from within the MENA
  region
• Point of departure is taken in reform processes
  which are driven by local and national agendas
• Denmark offers to establish partnership with
  government or civil society (advancing with a
  pace considered appropriate to the partner)

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Key principles (2)

• Support for specific reform processes is combined
  with the involvement of Danish partners (base on
  the assumption, that dialogue is best enhanced if
  it takes the point of departure in common work
  and dialogue within a field of mutual
  professional interest)

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Main point of criticism

• Lack of understanding of ME
• Attempt to export of Democracy double standards
• No Consistence in Danish ME policy
• Lack of Focus
• To little room for NGO

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Achivements

• More than Danish 30 NGO and institutions (and up
  to 30 youth organisations) involved en specific
  partnership programmes.
• Partners from the ME stress they wish to continue
  cooperation and dialogue.

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Prestent Bilateral Dialogue Initiatives

• Inter religious dialogue
• Co-existence of civilizations (Mandagmorgen)
• Next stop Denmark / Next stop Middle East
• Image of the Middle East

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Arab Initiative consideration on next phase (1)

• Acknowledge that the Danish government in some
  countries at present has limited legitimacy as
  partner for reform
• Denmark might, however, be considered an
  interesting partner for dialogue?
• Danish Civil Society will most likely have a
  broader space for dialogue and cooperation.
• Cooperation will have to address both government
  and civil society in the ME (incl. Islamic
  organisations)

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Arab Initiative consideration on next phase (2)

• To be re-launched based on the 2 years pilot
  phase (and the cartoon issue)
• Increased focus on dialogue and mutual
  understanding.
• Reform issues to be addressed via dialogue
  between professionals.
• Civil society to continue to play crucial role
• Programme on inter religious dialogue to be
  launched