On 30 July 2013 at the Thailand - Tanzania Forum in Dar es Salaam, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced the launching of the Thai-Africa Initiative which aims at enhancing partnership between Thailand and Africa, as well as providing the building block for a wider Asia - Africa link.

The Thai - Africa Initiative will help generate greater momentum for closer cooperation between Asia and Africa, which are currently two important driving forces of the world economy. This Initiative will be based on mutual respect and trust, mutual learning, shared interest and a common belief in our shared destiny. It will strive to enhance engagement between the two sides on a wide range of areas of common interest in the spirit of South-South cooperation, promote closer connectivity between the two continents and their peoples, as well as ensuring a stronger voice for Asia and Africa in the world affairs. 

To take this idea forward, the Prime Minister of Thailand announced that Thailand will convene the Thai - Africa High - Level Dialogue early next year. The Prime Minister of Thailand extended her invitation to the President of Tanzania and other African leaders to participate in this High-Level Dialogue in order to exchange views on how Asia and Africa can forger a stronger partnership.  

Given the similarity of development experiences of Thailand and African countries, Thailand will also step up our development cooperation with Africa on areas of common interest, especially where our partnership can bring value-added to our societies and peoples, such as sustainable agriculture, public health, education and human resources development. At the same time, Thailand has initiated the Thai Volunteer Programme with an aim of strengthening people-to-people friendship between the peoples of Thailand and Africa. Under this programme, Thai experts will work with their African counterparts in Africa to support technical cooperation projects.