Reverse Linkage

79 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION while Iran’s training programme is organized solely for Afghan officials. A positive aspect of the TCTP conducted within the MENA region is the scope of languages in which the train- ing programmes are provided – Arabic, French, and Persian. Most of the lectures in the regular programmes carried out in Japan are presented in either Japanese, with English inter- pretation, or in English. This approach may impede broader participation, as the candidate trainees must necessarily have a good command of English. In addition, the technolo- gies and capacity levels required are quite similar within the region, which makes it easier for trainees to apply the technologies or ideas to their everyday work. Inter-regional cooperation initiatives such as TCTP for Africa have been encompassed in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process. The Japanese government collaborated with the United Nations and Global Coalition for Africa (GCA) to hold the first TICAD conference in Tokyo in 1993 in which the co-organ- izers vowed to reverse the declining trend of development assistance to Africa following the end of the Cold War. The declaration listed regional cooperation, regional integration, and a harnessing of the Asian experience for the benefit of African development among TICAD commitments for the coming years. Following this initiative, the Japanese govern- ment strengthened SSC both within the African continent and with neighbouring regions. In 2013, the Yokohama Declaration adopted in TICAD V held in Yokohama, Japan emphasised the achievements of the TICAD process over last 20 years, including regional cooperation. The declaration states that: The TICAD process has enhanced the level of cooperation between many Asian and African countries and has enabled the Asian develop- ment experience to be shared with, and where practicable, adapted to, African realities. Also notable is that TICAD has effectively promoted and supported South-South and Triangular Cooperation, including intra-Africa coopera- tion, as distinctive forms of partnership. One of the unique aspects of the TCTP is a system that allows an ex-trainee who has taken part in a JICA-sponsored TCTP course to submit a request for follow-up support from JICA. More specifically, if a trainee would like to conduct a seminar for any related subject and invite a lecturer from Japan or the third country, JICA can financially support the activity after screening the proposal. A trainee can also apply to JICA for the provision of small-scale equipment that can be expected to bring about a more effective output from the training. This kind of follow-up scheme helps trainees realise the widest possible impacts from the courses when they return to their respective countries. Case 1 – Conference on Cooperation among East Asian countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) CEAPAD is a framework initiated by the Japanese government to discuss ways in which East Asian countries can use their resources, knowledge, and experiences to support Palestine’s nation-building efforts. Japan, Palestine, Brunei, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the League of Arab States, the World Bank, and the UnitedNations Relief andWorks Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) partici- pated in the first conference held in Tokyo in 2013. Since CEAPAD’s launch, approximately 350 Palestinians have joined the training courses provided by East Asian Change in the number of participants through TCTP with respect to each implementing country Number of participants (2007–2016) in TCTP by implementing country / area of participants Egypt Algeria Tunisia Syria Turkey Lebanon Jordan 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2007 Morocco Iran 2008 2009 Egypt 2010 Algeria 2011 Tunisia 2012 Syria 2013 Turkey 2014 2015 Lebanon 2016 Jordan Number of participants Number of participants Source: JICA Source: JICA Other area Africa Middle East Morocco Iran