Ambassador Meets with Women in Business Scholarship Recipients

Ambassador Grappo with the scholarship recipients and Embassy MEPI Coordinator Katie Phelps (far right).

On Sunday, March 30, Ambassador Gary A. Grappo met with three young Omani businesswomen who were among ten recipients of full scholarships to attend the Women in Business Conference held in Muscat earlier in the month.  Funding for the scholarships was made possible by the U.S. State Department's Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) through the Vital Voices program.  The women discussed their participation in the conference, calling it “inspirational,” and saying that the combination of hearing the many speakers brought together for the Conference, along with the chance to network with the more than 350 other participants, made it an especially memorable experience.  The Ambassador congratulated the women for their achievements to date, recognized through these scholarships, and encouraged them to continue setting the pace for Omanis seeking to excel in business and entrepreneurship.

The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) was launched by the U.S. Department of State in 2002 to support cooperative efforts in the region that promote quality education, economic progress, strengthening institutions of governance and women’s development.  Projects range from short workshops and conferences to multi-year programs of training and technical assistance.  Funded with bi-partisan support from the U.S. Congress, MEPI has provided more than $430 million for more than 350 programs in 17 countries and territories.  MEPI partners include governments of the region, local and international non-governmental organizations, businesses and educational institutions.