Africa has one of the world’s most youthful populations but its potential is undermined by hunger, while inequalities also inhibit the development of the continent’s people overall, parliamentarians from Africa and Asia were told during a meeting in Kigali on Tuesday, October 24.

The observations were made by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Rwanda, Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah, during the African and Asian Parliamentarians’ Dialogue towards International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD30) and the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development (AADPD10).

The October 24-26 dialogue in Kigali discussed the state of affairs in regard to legislative frameworks curtailing the progress of AADPD/ICPD and proposed actions, which will contribute to the AADPD10 review process.

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"Africa is a continent rich in resources and we have also human resources. One is the demographic change which is critical. We are part of a very vibrant and young continent, with 42 percent of the population below the age of 15, while young people aged 10 to 24 years make up 33 percent of the population,” Ntiamoah said.

This current demographic structure with a large youthful population, he observed, can be leveraged for socio-economic transformation, with the right investments as per the aspirations of AADPD.

Invest in the youth

"If we want the Africa we want, we have to invest in the youth today,” he said, pointing out that the right investments can enable Africa to reap demographic dividends.

"But, the youth of today are hungry, and we see it around the world, especially on our continent,” he said, pointing out that conflicts and climate change including cyclones and droughts, contribute to food insecurity in Africa.

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Still, Ntiamoah said there is a need to deal with deepening inequality within and across countries.

"It is important to envision ways to address multidimensional poverty, social inequality, and economic instability, considering their impact,” he said.

The Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy of Japan in Rwanda, Yukako Ochi, said Africa, with its rapidly growing population, has the potential for economic development, and at the same time it’s faced with development challenges, while some countries including Japan struggle with economic and social issues due to declining growth rates and aging population.

"Africa and Asia have been tackling global issues of population and development in various ways. Japan will continue to contribute to all efforts to further better our work with a human-centered international cooperation approach,” she said.

The president of the Rwandan Parliamentarians&039; Network on Population and Development (RPRPD), MP Jeanne Henriette Mukabikino, said the dialogue will deliberate on matters including whether current population growth corresponds to available country resources, child stunting, among other challenges that can hinder the development of African and Asian populations.

For her, Africa should utilise its youthful population potential for its socio-economic progress.

"If we have many young people that is the workforce. They should not be lying idle,” she said, decrying the fact that some girls give birth while aged under 18.

"It is understandable that when they give birth before age 18, they are unable to carry on with education,” she said, pointing out that having many young people should be a solution for Africa, not a problem.

Speaker MP Donatille Mukabalisa said: "It is important that we recognise the critical role played by our parliamentarians in shaping laws that align with our respective Executive branches, but also in holding Government accountable especially in the implementation of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development and the International Conference on Population and Development commitments while evaluating the actual impacts on the citizens' lives.”

The Vice President of the African Parliamentarian Forum, MP Fred Outa, a parliamentarian from Kenya, said the gathering will consider solutions to various challenges facing humanity, including job creation, rights abuse in terms of child labour, and gender-based violence.