Monday, Jan 16th, 2012
Heading for PNB-NAPEO Second Edition
MoroccoTomorrow attended PNB-NAPEO, a 3 day conference in Marrakesh on Monday, Jan 16th and Tuesday, Jan 17th 2011. It will be PNB NAPEO’s second conference in the Maghreb region, the first one in 2010 having been hosted by Algeria.
Following President Obama’s historic discourse in Cairo, the U.S State Dept actively engaged on different levels the Arab world’s civil societies, the framework being the Partners for a New Beginning initiative, a joint venture with the Aspen Institute.
In December 2010 at the U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference, the U.S. Department of State announced the launch of the U.S.-North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity (NAPEO), a new regional public-private partnership that enhances the network of entrepreneurs and business leaders in the United States and the Maghreb. PNB-NPAO is centered on investment and business opportunities both for U.S and Maghreb entrepreneurs.
It is consistent with a policy of openness towards the region’s peoples that started with President Obama’s term, and one can tell that the Cairo bet paid off. Leaders come and go as the Arab spring demonstrated, but the people remain.
Last but definitely not least, PNB-NAPEO will be a meeting place not only for the U.S and Moroccan movers and shakers, but also for all of the Maghreb countries in the wake of the Arab spring. It will be an opportunity for me to meet our neighbors, getting to know them and figuring out what we can do together. It would be an understatement to say that there is a lot of catching up to do in order to foster regional relations, and bright new perspectives on the horizon.
Nabil Aid El Othmani
MoroccoTomorrow member
From Rabat, Morocco
