(i) Transfer expertise from Asia-Pacific Region to the productivity movement in Africa, (ii) Hold training program to create a pool of productivity professionals and (iii) Organize the tailor-made program for the development of NPOs in Africa

Yokohama Action Plan: [3]Encourage the full use of existing institutions mandated in the field of South-South cooperation, such as the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) and National Productivity Organizations in both Asia and Africa.

Proposed Measures by Japan/Implementing Partners: ● Train core productivity professionals in Africa for the expansion of the productivity movement and create mechanisms for the National Productivity Organizations in APO members to proactively initiate assistance for the productivity movement in Africa

Potential Resources, Possible Contributions: APO: Transfers expertise (resource persons and training materials) from Asia-Pacific Region to the productivity movement in Africa. Holds training program to create a pool of productivity professionals and organizes the tailor-made program for the development of National Productivity Organizations (NPOs) in Africa including study missions to the APO members and the dispatch of productivity experts to Africa

Country: Botswana/Kenya/Mauritius/Nigeria/South Africa/Zambia (Member countries of PAPA) and African Union

Status: (a) APO deputed an expert from Singapore to the Workshop on Productivity and Social Dialogue which was jointly organized by the Commission of the African Union (AU), International Labor Organization (ILO,) and Pan African Productivity Association in Nazareth, Ethiopia (13-15 May 2009); (b) the expert shared experience on the productivity movement in the Asian region with the participants and provided technical input for designing the Productivity Africa Program 2009-2012.

Status: The 4-week intensive Basic Training Course for Productivity Practitioners in Johannesburg, South Africa (7 Sept-2 Oct 2009) was organized to develop the competencies of 28 staff of 6 PAPA members as above in the promotion and application of basic productivity and quality techniques in organizations and industries.

Status: (a) The 3-week intensive Advanced Training Course for Productivity Practitioners in Johannesburg, South Africa (25 January to 12 February 2010), will be organized for 30 staff of 6 PAPA members as above. (b) The main objective is to develop productivity practitioners in the NPOs of PAPA member countries and provide them with in-depth knowledge of advanced productivity and quality tools and methodology. (c) The course will also equip participants with the ability to disseminate advanced tools and techniques for promoting and conducting productivity improvement activities, thereby strengthening the technical competency and institutional capacity of those NPOs.

Country: Botswana/Kenya/Mauritius/Nigeria/South Africa/Zambia (Member countries of PAPA) and African Union

Status: (a) Expert Meeting was held on the Development of the Pan African Productivity Association (PAPA) and APO Productivity Partnership Program in Singapore (29-30 October 2008) and (b) the expert from the National Productivity Organizations (NPOs) of India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand attended this meeting to formulate the draft program framework.

Status: 4-week intensive "Basic Training Course on Productivity Practitioners in Johannesburg, South Africa" (10 November-5 December 2008) was organized to provide 25 staff of 5 PAPA members with the opportunity to acquire various basic tools and skills in productivity and to develop a productivity mindset.

Status: (a) The proposed new PAPA and APO Productivity Partnership Program were presented at the PAPA Board meeting on 5 December 2008 where it was agreed to proceed with the new partnership program with the APO.
(b) This new partnership program was to be started with need identification, followed by a workshop and expert deputation from the NPOs of the APO.