Two years after Ben Ali was forced from power in Tunisia, brave Syrians continue to risk their lives every day for the peaceful, democratic, inclusive future that they deserve.

Meanwhile, the euphoria that marked the early days of new democracies in the region has given way to the new challenges of democratic transition.

Economic stagnation and unmet demands for equal access to economic and political opportunity continue to pose challenges to stability, social progress, and shared prosperity across the region.

But this much is clear: The region has changed profoundly, and there is no turning back. Citizens are calling for equality of opportunity, for a role in the decisions that affect their lives, for fundamental freedoms, transparency and accountability.

We believe that sustained stability and prosperity rely on governments responding positively to these legitimate demands, and we work with the people of Lebanon to help make this a reality. These reforms, long supported by the United States, were at the core of December’s ninth annual G-8 BMENA Forum for the Future in Tunis, which the U.S. co-chaired with Tunisia. At the forum, government, private sector and civil-society representatives from the G-8 and the broader Middle East and North Africa sat down at the same table and talked through some very difficult issues.

And for only the second time in the forum’s history, all 28 participating governments, including Lebanon, endorsed a consensus declaration, which enshrines critical principles and commitments to advance freedom of expression and association, improve economic governance to promote broad-based economic growth, and promote women’s equality and empowerment.

We congratulate the representatives from Lebanon, as well as governments and delegates from the entire region, on the extraordinary work they undertook together at the forum. We call on the region’s leaders to fulfill agreed-upon objectives through constructive dialogue with their citizens and the participation of all. And we urge civil society and the private sector to look for ways to collaborate with governments to find solutions for shared challenges and to hold their governments accountable for implementing the commitments made.

First, governments at the forum agreed to support civil society – groups of active citizens who voluntarily come together to advance a common cause outside the boundaries of government institutions. Civil society helps aggregate and amplify citizens’ voices in political processes, advocates for their needs, and supports the marketplace of ideas that can bring solutions to bear on current challenges.

Citizens need to be able to exercise the rights to peacefully assemble, to associate, and to express themselves freely, all principles to which governments agreed at the forum.

Second, governments committed to promote inclusive economic growth that can provide the region’s citizens, particularly women and youth, opportunities for better futures. Governments agreed at the forum on the need to improve the climate for entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprises through a fair and efficient regulatory environment; greater transparency, integrity and accountability in public institutions; rule of law; collaboration between government, civil society and the private sector in economic decision-making, and specific policies to promote economic inclusion.

Third, governments agreed to advance opportunities and equality for women with a view to achieving their full political, social and economic empowerment.

Governments acknowledged the need to address gender-based discrimination and violence, early forced marriage, low rates of women’s political and economic participation, and barriers to access to education.

As Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns urged at the forum: “All in this room [must] do much more to bring women into positions of leadership because no democracy and no economy can succeed in the 21st century with half its population held back.”

The U.S. Embassy is committed to working with Lebanese and international partners to forward these goals. We do so in many ways. We support civil society through United States Agency for International Development’s Promoting Active Citizen Engagement in Lebanon program, which helps build the capacity of Lebanese civil society organizations to assess citizen perceptions and develop advocacy, community development, and social marketing campaigns that respond to the key concerns of Lebanese citizens.

We support economic growth through a broad range of sectors, including USAID’s Lebanon Investment in Microfinance program works to expand the supply of loans to individuals, micro and small enterprises, and farmers that do not normally have access to capital in order to establish new income-generating businesses or enhance existing ones.

More than 6,000 loans have been disbursed over the past three years throughout Lebanon.

We steadfastly support the advancement of women and their active participation in society through English language skills, empowering women in their daily lives to gain greater access to information, be more competitive in the job market, and better assist their children’s educational goals. The Middle East Partnership Initiative further sponsors numerous programs that encourage women to participate in politics, and to have a voice in their communities.

We believe the yearning for freedom, dignity and opportunity truly are universal. And we are committed to a vision of constructive cooperation – between nations, and between governments, the private sector and citizens – built on mutual respect and our shared stake in delivering a better future for our children.

At the forum, Burns challenged all participants to engage: “All of us – at this forum and beyondwill have to help the people of this region find not just stability, but sustainable democracy, sustainable prosperity and sustainable security and peace.”

The forum declaration provides a useful reform road map to achieve this important goal and we look forward to continuing our efforts with our Lebanese and international partners of promoting meaningful reform in Lebanon.

Maura Connelly has been the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon since 2010. The forum declaration can be found at: www.mepi.state.gov/bmena2012dec.html.