BACKGROUND

The first Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD I) was held in 1993 to reaffirm Japan's commitment towards Africa's industrial development. The second conference (TICAD II) involving a large number of African and Asian countries as well as major donor countries and international and regional organizations that includes UNIDO had agreed to a joint declaration to foster increased South-South Cooperation.

As a result, Asia-Africa Investment & Technology Promotion Centre (AAITPC) was established in Kuala Lumpur in 1999. The project is implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and it has been initiated and fully funded by the The Government of Japan.