Bourqia, Amin, and Ibrahim to Assemble Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Future

Working in consultation with civil society and partner governments, Bourqia, Amin, and Ibrahim will assemble the board based on potential members’ demonstrated commitment to reform and ability to work closely with both government authorities and civil society in the Middle East and North Africa. The international board of directors, which is expected to be approved in April, will be led by a chairperson who comes from the broader Middle East region and from outside government.

Bourqia is president of University Hassan II Mahommedia and was active in the effort to create Morocco’s new family law in 2003 recognizing women’s equality. Amin has two decades’ experience in international human rights work and was formerly the Iraqi minister of human rights and executive director of the International Alliance for Justice. Ibrahim is a former Malaysian deputy prime minister and long-time reform leader who emphasizes moderate Islam and the importance of democracy in the Muslim world.

Governments from the United States, Europe, and the broader Middle East and North Africa are establishing the Foundation for the Future in response to calls from civil society for an independent foundation to support freedom and democratic practices in the broader Middle East and North Africa. The foundation was announced at the November 2005 Forum for the Future in Bahrain attended by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, foreign ministers of other contributing governments, and civil society representatives.

Initial contributing governments have committed more than $50 million to the foundation. Other political supporters and financial contributors include Bahrain, Denmark, the European Commission, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Qatar, Yemen, and the United Kingdom.