The Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program supports the peace process by encouraging and funding joint scientific research and development projects between Israel and its Arab neighbors. The program was established in 1979 by Congressman Waxman and its funding is administered through the US Agency for International Development.
Introduction
Before the Camp David Peace Accords, when Egypt and Israel did not recognize each other diplomatically, Representative Waxman wanted the U.S. to help break down psychological barriers between Egyptians and Israelis so they could form personal relationships and bolster the peace process. He envisioned a program that would bring Middle Eastern scientists and researchers together to collaborate on projects of mutual concern. This, in turn, could help Egyptians and Israelis develop lasting friendships that could enhance peace and understanding regardless of political developments.
In 1979, Congress approved a $4.8 billion aid package to support the newly-signed peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. Representative Waxman introduced an amendment that would create a program to promote scientific and technological cooperation between Israelis and Arabs. That amendment became law, and the initial grant for the Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) program was $50,000. More than twenty-five years later, the program's annual funding is $5 million.
The MERC program originally provided funding for trilateral cooperative projects among the U.S., Israel, and Egypt, but it was later expanded to include Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinians. The program provides funding for scientific projects in agriculture, health, the environment, economics, and engineering. All projects include at least one Israeli and one Arab partner. U.S. institutions are the only non-regional partners and are encouraged to limit their participation to technical assistance to keep the major focus of the program on fostering direct cooperation among Middle Eastern individuals and institutions. Awards are based on technical merit and contribution to peace and development in the region. Throughout the program's history, thousands of Arabs and Israelis have worked together to tackle problems in the Middle East.
A 1991 outside review of the MERC program concluded that it has achieved "a remarkable record of success." Scientists in the region, for example, have produced new strains of melons and tomatoes that can be grown using brackish desert groundwater and have crossbred two strains of goats to produce a hardy animal that yields more meat and milk. In addition, under a project sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Egyptian and Israeli medical researchers worked together to quell an outbreak of the deadly mosquito-borne Rift Valley Fever, which took the lives of several thousand people and 3 million head of livestock in 1982. The scientists have since eliminated the epidemic from the region.
Environmental problems in the Middle East have historically exacerbated the Israeli-Arab conflict. The MERC program has allowed Arabs and Israelis to resolve some of these obstacles and move beyond the formalities of the peace treaties negotiated by heads of state. Further, it has allowed Arabs and Israelis to view one another as human beings and fellow scientists rather than enemies. Many of the scientists who worked together under the auspices of the MERC program have continued to maintain personal and professional relationships long after the completion of their projects.
The MERC program is a model for peaceful cooperation in the Middle East. Scientists can put their political views aside and pursue science for the benefit of the entire region. In achieving fundamentally practical aims, the program is providing a foundation for real and lasting peace.
Representative Henry A. Waxman 30th District of California
