Cairo Magazine - US funds local NGOs

In one of his last actions in Egypt, departing US ambassador David Welch announced $1 million worth of grants to Egyptian organizations supporting democratization—a move condemned by many as foreign interference in Egyptian affairs.

“These grants to civil society groups are new examples of our support for strengthening civil society in Egypt,” said Welch at the time. “I would like to emphasize that grant funds that we are providing here today are in response to Egyptian ideas for democracy activities, presented to us by Egyptian groups.” Welch dismissed accusations, often repeated in the local press, that US policies represent intervention in Egypt’s internal affairs.

The grant is part of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a 2003 US presidential plan aiming at supporting economic, political and educational support in the region and is separate from the nearly $2 billion in annual aid the US gives Egypt.

The move created a flood of criticism by both state-owned and opposition press organs. A lengthy piece in the 18 March edition of the state-owned weekly Rose Al Youssef noted that many of the organizations were recently formed and had never registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs, making them illegal.

The list of recipients included the much-maligned Ibn Khaldoun Center for Developments Studies, headed by Egyptian-American sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim, for a project on political and electoral rights. Ibrahim was jailed for two years on charges (that were eventually thrown out) of illegally receiving foreign funds and tarnishing Egypt’s reputation abroad. He is often a targeted by critics in the press for being in collusion with the United States against Egypt.

Moheb Zaki, a consultant for the organization, denied having a secretive alliance with the American administration. “This is demagoguery. This is our own initiative, as long as it serves our country,” he said. Zaki explained the center is looking to raise political awareness and increase participation in elections.

Like the Ibn Khaldoun Center’s project, other recipients won grant money for electoral reform-related projects. The United Group, under long time rights activist Negad Al Borai, received the grant for a project on the promotion of transparent elections in 2005 and beyond.

Other groups that received funding include the Egyptian Association for Developing and Disseminating Legal Awareness, founded in 2004, for a project to promote democracy among political parties. The Alliance for Arab Women, founded in 1987, has a project to combat terrorism through community participation, while the New Horizon Association for Social Development is looking to empower youth in Old Cairo. Finally, the Egyptian Association for Supporting Democracy, founded in 2003, has a project on promoting future leaders raising awareness about democracy in young people.

Many Egyptian NGOs, however, expressed their opposition to US funding and reportedly the embassy initially had trouble finding takers for their money. “We are against the principle of government funding. A civil society organization cannot live on government funding,” said Gamal Eid, executive manager of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information. “We are particularly opposing the American government’s funding and its fake claim of promoting democracy, while it has been supporting dictatorships such as [those of] Suharto and Pinochet.

Al Borai, of the United Group, countered that there is nothing wrong with US funding. “We will deal with anyone who supports our interests and we would also thank him,” he said. “It is normal that funding orientation for Egypt becomes inclined towards democratization when the country is facing parliamentary elections soon.”