The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) (http://www.abudhabi.mepi.stat e.gov/) is the U.S. Government response to calls for change in the Middle East and North Africa. This Presidential initiative, created in 2002 and funded with bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress, has brought the resources, experience, and determination of the United States to promote greater freedom and opportunity for people throughout the region.

To better promote democratic reform objectives in the region by working directly with local partners on the ground, MEPI opened two Regional Offices (ROs) in the summer of 2004. The Abu Dhabi RO is located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and covers the countries of the Arab Gulf, plus Jordan and Yemen.