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The Asian Pacific Youth Forum (APYF) is an international NGO that stemmed from the OISCA movement in 1979, and attained the Roster consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1984. Since then it has co-organized eight international youth forums with OISCA Chapters in respective countries of the region (Sri Lanka in 1980, Fiji in 1982, Bangladesh in 1984, Malaysia in 1985, Palau in 1986, India in 1994, China in 1995, Nepal in 1996), and has been actively participating in the promotion of Children's Forest Program for the past decade. Supposedly owing to such impressive past records, the APYF was invited to attend a prestigious international conference held at Cotonou, Benin (West Africa) during December 4-6, 2000. Thus Dr. Yukio Kamino, the Consultant for APYF and also a staff member of OISCA-International Headquarters, traveled there as the sole participant from the NGO community in Japan.

The meeting was called the Fourth International Conference of New or Restored Democracies on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development, and was hosted by the Republic of Benin with assistance of the United Nations Development Programme. The participants of the Conference involved the representatives of 108 states, 51 NGOs, and international organizations. Distinguished personalities took part in the Conference included Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the presidents from several countries in western Africa. After three days of discussions over the pressing political and social issues facing the developing countries, the Conference adopted the "Cotonou Declaration." A part of the Declaration maintained that "we firmly support the civil society and the Non-Governmental Organizations in their work for peace, security, democracy, development and human rights."