NCSL Receives Grant to Train Middle Eastern Legislative Staff

Middle East Partnership Initiative Award to Focus on North Africa and Lebanon

National Conference of State Legislatures Press Release
Date: June 21, 2004
Contact: Bill Wyatt, 202-624-8667; Jeremy Meadows, 202-624-8664

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Parliamentary staff in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Lebanon have an opportunity to participate in U.S.-based and in-country legislative staff training programs under a new grant awarded to the National Conference of State Legislatures by the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).

The 16-month, $900,000 program will not only provide the French-speaking North African and Lebanese parliamentary staffers with professional development opportunities but will also introduce their national assemblies to the African Network of Parliamentary Personnel (Réseau Africain des Personnels des Parlements, or RAPP).

"NCSL is pleased to assist other nations in the professional development of their legislative staff," said NCSL Executive Director William Pound. "It is not just the legislative staff in these Middle Eastern nations that will benefit from this partnership. Our legislative staff here in the U.S. also have a great deal to learn from our international counterparts."

NCSL’s International Programs Department will coordinate the professional development opportunities for the parliamentary staffers. NCSL offers at least nine professional development seminars each year for legislative staff; with this grant, U.S.-based training including one or more of these seminars will be made available to the Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian, and Lebanese staff. Additionally, NCSL staff and state legislative staff will conduct regional and country-specific training seminars in the region on such topics as member-staff relations, legislature-media relations, information management and other specific staff functions.

With the NCSL’s assistance, RAPP was created in 2003 to establish a professional association for African parliamentary staff that provides a forum for information sharing, facilitates the exchange of experiences and offers professional development opportunities. RAPP represents a unique opportunity for inter-parliamentary dialogue in the name of good governance, legislative institution building and sound public policy. This program will introduce the participating parliamentary staff to this new African association.

MEPI is a Presidential initiative announced by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on December 12, 2002 to support economic, democratic and educational efforts in the Middle East by building partnerships with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, civil society elements, and governments to encourage the widest possible support across society for positive changes, and to make these changes relevant to the unique circumstances of each society in the region.

NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.

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