Partnership for prosperity

American President Barack Obama’s administration has been seeking ways to strengthen ties with Muslim majority countries.  In April, he made true on his June 2009 Cairo speech promise and hosted a presidential summit on entrepreneurship, which was intended to serve as a catalyst for expanded entrepreneurial cooperation, as well as economic growth in Muslim nations. The summit brought together more than 275 participants from 50 countries to discuss the ways in which they can work together to galvanize entrepreneurialism in their respective industries and states. But it is the product of the summit, rather than the rhetoric, that will determine how the Middle East can capitalize on this initiative. What is needed are tools which empower the private sector to pressure governments in the region to strengthen the legal and economic structures necessary to support a healthy business climate. However, even if these tools are created, their successful implementation will