Africa’s population is projected to double to 2.1 billion in the next 35 years, and both urban and rural populations will continue to grow well after that date. Meanwhile, young people will continue to stream into the labor market. This has sparked a lively debate about alternative scenarios — is the continent looking forward to a demographic dividend or listening to the ticking of a population time bomb?
The answer will depend on the policies adopted in the coming years, experts agreed at last week’s 14th International Economic Forum on Africa hosted by the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation Development Center in Paris.
“Demographic growth does not have to be a curse,” said Bruno Losch, a political economist at CIRAD, a French research center working with developing countries to tackle international agricultural and development issues. “It could be a benefit if the appropriate measures are in place,” he told Devex on the sidelines of the forum.
About the author
Bill Hinchbergerhinchberger
Bill Hinchberger is a global communications professional and educator. He studied at Berkeley and has taught at the Sorbonne. Based mostly in Paris, he spends quality time in Brazil and the United States, and works extensively in Africa and Latin America. He has served as an international correspondent for The Financial Times, Business Week, ARTnews, Variety, and others. One current focus of his work is content creation for foundations, NGOs and other organizations, especially those working on issues related to international affairs, the environment and development. He also runs training programs for professional journalists, notably in Africa, and is an associate of Rain Barrel Communications, a leading consultancy for social justice projects.
