The region is evolving, and as such, the President’s FY 2015 request includes $1.5 billion for the MENA Initiative, which will give us the tools and flexibility to respond to Syria-related and regional contingency needs, and support political and economic reform initiatives across the region. Specifically, the MENA Initiative request includes $1.1 billion to enable the United States to continue to respond to ongoing humanitarian needs in Syria and neighboring countries. An additional $225 million will help us spur economic growth, strengthen democratic governance and civil society, and support human rights and rule of law initiatives in the region.  With part of this $225 million, USAID will specifically be launching two initiatives—the MENA Investment Initiative (MENA-II) and the MENA Water Security Initiative—to tackle issues that are evident across borders and present some of the region’s most pressing development challenges. USAID’s new MENA Investment Initiative aimed to create jobs in the region and spur private investment, by targeting start-up and early-stage businesses that struggle to access financing, working through incubators, accelerators, and angel investor groups. The MENA-II will leverage U.S. funding to catalyze resources from others and to target promising start-ups.  This will involve creating networks of investment partners, including the private sector, other donors, philanthropic organizations, governments, and NGOs. This region contains 12 of the world’s 15 most water scarce countries. To respond to this, USAID-led a regional MENA Water Security Initiative will provide the opportunity for public and private sectors, civil society, and other organizations to support entrepreneurs, researchers, and consumers with opportunities to develop, test, and scale up “water­smart” technologies.  The MENA Water Security Initiative aims to combine the development of new “water-smart” technologies with economic opportunities to improve long-term, sustainable access to water for 20 million people in the region. This program will target the cross-border issues that hinder efficient and equitable management of shared resources, and it builds on efforts currently supported by USAID bilateral missions and the Middle East Regional program’s smaller-scale water programming. The MENA Water Security Initiative will also support public education on the role of citizens as responsible stewards of dwindling water supplies, helping to mitigate potential conflict. In FY 2015, in addition to the funding requested for the MENA Initiative, USAID will continue to support the transitions going on in the region through our bilateral programs, with a particular focus on economic growth and prosperity and democratic governance.  USAID will also continue to support the Syrian people and Syria’s neighbors. Source: https://goo.gl/wIJVC0