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15 - 21 May
UNIDOScope 2005 CONTENTS:
Prime Minister Koizumi launches
TICADExchange www.TICADExchange.org
Connecting African and Asian Entrepreneurs
Bandung, Indonesia, 22 April 2005
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In his keynote address to the Asian-African Business Summit 2005, a side event of the Bandung
Conference hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Indonesia, Prime Minister Junichiro
Koizumi announced the launching of TICADExchange, a
web-based trade and investment promotion network that provides a wide range of information, including
macro and micro economic indicators, data on industrial production, trade and investment policies,
and laws and regulations of African countries. The Prime Minister said that the TICADExchange network
will provide relevant information on business in Asia and Africa via the Internet. The Government of
Japan anticipates that the network will contribute further to the development of trade and investment
relations between the two regions.
TICADExchange is a joint venture between the UNIDO Exchange Programme (www.unido.org/exchange) and the TICAD Bureau of the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), funded by Japan through UNDP's TICAD Bureau. Reporting back to UNIDO on the launching, Sayaphol Sackda, one of UNIDO's Exchange Programme specialists, said that all involved agreed that milestone though it was, "the launching of TICAD Exchange, together with the release of its twin portal AFRASIA Exchange, only represent the starting point for the next years; that is, all stakeholders agree that activities should be reviewed, mapped out and subsequently implemented over the next 18 months." "Eight countries from Africa, namely Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia are selected for initial showcasing," said Bouna Semou Diouf, Director of the TICAD Bureau. "This is soon to be expanded to cover the entire continent."
TICAD Exchange provides linkages to the trade and investment promotion sites of African States, and relevant sources of data and case studies compiled and managed by such international organizations as the World Bank, UNIDO, the UN Conference on Trade and Development and research institutions. It hosts the directories of Chambers of Commerce and private firms in Africa with their profiles and information on products and investment needs.
The network is linked to the web sites of such TICAD programmes as the AFRASIA Business Council (www.afrasia.org), the Africa Asia Business Forum (AABF), and the Asia Africa Investment and Technology Promotion Centre (AAITPC – www.unido-aaitpc.org). Data on Asian markets and investors will be built into the portal as one of the next steps.
The AFRASIA Business Council (AABC), a non-profit, non-governmental organization, and its internet platform AFRASIAExchange was launched in Mauritius on 31 March 2005. A Board of Trustees headed by a Chairman and constituted of respected representatives from the African and Asian private sectors represents all AABC members and provides general guidance for AABC's strategic orientations. The board is assisted by an Advisory Group constituted of qualified resource persons from the public and private sectors as well as the international community with relevant experience in private sector development in Africa and Asia. For the daily implementation and monitoring of its activities, AABC Board has mandated an Executive Support Group (ESG) located in Accra, Ghana, headed by an Executive Director, who is in charge of the coordination of the Advisory Group's contributions and the permanent supervision of AABC operations.
AABC's Web portal, "AFRASIA Exchange," another UNIDO - UNDP joint venture, provides a virtual marketplace for investment and technology opportunities. Initial AFRASIA Exchange desks are based in Cotonou, Benin, Douala, Cameroon, and Accra, Ghana. Additional AFRASIA exchange desks will be set up in Congo, India, Malaysia, South Africa and Tanzania in 2005.
TICAD, initiated in 1993, is one of the world's largest forums for African development. Coorganized by Japan, the UN and others, TICAD summit level mettings were held in Tokyo in 1993, 1998 and 2003 (see feature article UNIDO at TICAD III). Nearly 100 countries, including African, western and Asian donors and emerging donors participate in TICAD. Prime Minister Koizumi announced at Bandung that TICAD IV would be held in 2008.
The Bandung Conference, which was held in 1955 in Bandung, West Java, was a landmark gathering of
representatives from some 29 African and Asian nations. The aim of the conference, which ultimately
led to the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961, was to promote economic and cultural
cooperation and to oppose colonialism. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan along with 40 Heads of
Government attended this year's 50th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, which is viewed as an
opportunity to boost economic and trade ties between Asia and Africa.
Sayaphol Sackda, Tel
+43-1-26026 / 3974, Email: S.Sackda@unido.org
11th Entrepreneurship Development & Investment
Promotion Programme in Bahrain
graduates 16 more potential entrepreneurs
Kingdom of Bahrain, 3 May 2005
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A ceremony was held at UNIDO / ITPO / ARCEIT – Bahrain premises on 3 May 2005 under the patronage of
Bahrain's Minister of Industry, Dr. Hassan Fakhro, to distribute certificates to the 16 participants
who successfully completed the 11th Entrepreneurship Development & Investment Promotion Programme
(EDP). The programme is organized by UNIDO through its Arab Regional Centre for Entrepreneurship and
Investment Training (ARCEIT) in association with the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Bahrain
Development Bank, Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society and Bahrain Young Entrepreneurs Association.
The 11th programme began on January 29th with four weeks of classroom training followed by the business counselling phase during which the entrepreneurs get support in project planning and implementation.
UNIDO / ARCEIT has so far trained 175 Bahraini entrepreneurs on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development and management which has so far resulted in the establishment of 96 small and medium enterprises. About 270 potential Bahraini entrepreneurs have been given advisory support on Business Opportunity Identification, Market Analysis, Business Plan Preparation, and Technology Tie Up which could lead to a full-fledged joint venture and financial linkages with the Bahrain Development Bank.
A further 17 potential entrepreneurs have joined the 12th Entrepreneurship Development Programme
which was launched on April 10th 2005.
Hashim Hussein, Head, ITPO
Bahrain, Tel. +973 - 536881, E-mail: itpo.bahrain@unido.org
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