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Theme: Harnessing Population Dynamics for Health and Sustainable Development: Strengthening China–Africa Cooperation

Welcome Remarks

By

Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan
Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer
Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Esteemed Colleagues and Friends,

It is a profound honour to join you today at the 4th China–Africa Conference on Population and Development. As the Executive Director and CEO of Partners in Population and Development, an intergovernmental alliance representing 28 member states across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, I am privileged to participate in this critical forum for dialogue, strategic collaboration, and collective action in advancing the health and development agenda of the Global South.

We convene at a pivotal juncture. The world is experiencing transformative demographic transitions: regions with burgeoning youth cohorts coexist with societies confronting accelerated population ageing; some countries face declining fertility and shrinking labour forces, while others continue to grapple with substantial unmet needs in sexual and reproductive health (SRH). These trends are reshaping socioeconomic trajectories, public health priorities, and human capital potential, highlighting the urgent need for evidence-based policy, innovative financing, and cross-regional collaboration.

PPD: Advancing South–South Cooperation in Population and Development
PPD was established in the wake of the landmark 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, with the mandate to institutionalize South–South Cooperation (SSC) in population, reproductive health, and sustainable development. Three decades later, the imperative for countries of the Global South to learn from each other, pool expertise, and jointly leverage resources is more pressing than ever.

The Central Role of PPD Dhaka: A Global Hub for Demographic and Health Cooperation
For participants from China and Africa, it is important to underscore the centrality of PPD Dhaka in our global South–South cooperation architecture. While PPD maintains regional offices in China and Uganda, and a Liaison Office at the United Nations in New York, our Dhaka Headquarters functions as the strategic nerve center that coordinates, convenes, and catalyzes multi-country initiatives in population, public health, and development finance.

Key functions of PPD Dhaka include:

 1. Global Coordination and Knowledge Exchange

PPD Dhaka orchestrates the exchange of policies, programmes, and innovations among 28 member states, connecting Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East through ministerial dialogues, thematic working groups, and technical knowledge networks.

2. Policy Advocacy for ICPD30 and Beyond

As Permanent Observer to the UN General Assembly, PPD Dhaka leads global advocacy for the ICPD Programme of Action, mobilizing political commitment, supporting national policy reviews, and advancing South–South positions on population, health, and development financing.

 3. Capacity Development and Knowledge Management

Through Dhaka-based training, fellowship programs, and technical networks, PPD strengthens national capacities in demographic intelligence, SRH supply chain management, health systems financing, ageing populations, and digital health solutions.

 4. Catalyst for Resource Mobilization and Innovative Financing

PPD Dhaka plays a critical role in mobilizing development finance, designing blended financing instruments, establishing pooled procurement mechanisms, and facilitating strategic commodity security partnerships.

 5. Governance and Ministerial Leadership

PPD Dhaka ensures SSC is anchored in political ownership, accountability, and sustainability, with a Board of Ministers providing strategic oversight and guiding long-term development outcomes.

Demographic Realities: Urgency for Strategic Investment

Population dynamics across the Global South present both unprecedented opportunities and critical risks:

• Africa is home to the largest youth population globally, representing a potential demographic dividend that could accelerate socioeconomic transformation.
• Asia faces rapid population ageing, heightening demand for geriatric care, long-term health financing, and social protection systems.
• Many countries experience labour market constraints, with either shrinking workforces or insufficient job creation for young populations.
• SRH challenges persist, with nearly half of maternal mortality concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, and pervasive unmet needs for family planning.
• Urbanization, digitalization, migration, and climate change are reshaping health, demographic, and economic landscapes.

Harnessing these demographic transitions requires proactive investment in SRH, gender equity, education, employment, multisectoral planning, and robust health systems financing. The theme of this conference, Harnessing Population Dynamics for Health and Sustainable Development, reflects the urgency of aligning demographic realities with national and regional development strategies.

The Promise of China–Africa Cooperation

The China–Africa partnership represents a transformative model for development cooperation in the 21st century. China’s expertise in poverty reduction, health systems strengthening, demographic management, and digital innovation, combined with Africa’s dynamic population and economic growth potential, creates a fertile ground for mutual learning and scalable solutions.

PPD has facilitated this cooperation through technology transfer, policy exchange, and capacity-building initiatives. Our China Regional Office has advanced innovations in ageing, SRH, and digital health, while our Africa Regional Office and African Union Liaison Office have strengthened institutional frameworks, policy dialogue, and programme implementation.

This exemplifies the power of South–South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC): countries co-create solutions, pool resources, and leverage technical expertise to maximize developmental impact.

Financing as the Decisive Factor

Despite progress, inadequate financing remains the principal constraint to fully realizing demographic dividends. Many countries face fiscal pressures, high debt burdens, and competing priorities that undermine investments in SRH, demographic intelligence, and youth development programs.

PPD is positioning itself as a financing catalyst, exploring:

• Blended finance mechanisms to mobilize private capital for health and demographic programs.
• Development impact bonds targeting SRH and population transition outcomes.
• Regional pooled procurement to reduce costs and stabilize supply chains.
• Catalytic investment funds to scale digital health, youth initiatives, and demographic data systems.
• Triangular Cooperation frameworks combining Chinese technical expertise, African demographic opportunities, and multilateral financing.

Strategic Pathways Forward

To translate demographic potential into sustainable development outcomes, we must:

1. Strengthen governance and institutional capacity for efficient resource allocation.
2. Integrate demographic evidence into national development planning, budgeting, and labor market strategies.
3. Prioritize SRH and reproductive health services as critical drivers of human capital formation.
4. Expand SSTC and Triangular Cooperation to co-develop digital health, ageing solutions, and climate-resilient health systems.
5. Mobilize sustainable, diversified financing to close gaps in SRH commodities, health workforce, and demographic intelligence.

PPD’s Commitment

As we approach ICPD30, PPD aims to become a next-generation SSTC platform uniting ministers, policymakers, funders, and technical experts around shared goals:

• Strengthening Dhaka as a hub for policy innovation, strategic financing, and capacity building.
• Expanding China–Africa knowledge exchange for SRH, ageing, youth development, and digital health innovation.
• Supporting member states in designing financing instruments that unlock investments in demographic transitions and SRH systems.
• Ensuring ministerial leadership and political ownership remain central to SSC.
• Driving accountability through monitoring, evaluation, and evidence-based advocacy.

Conclusion: A Shared Vision for Health, Prosperity, and Resilience

This conference provides an invaluable platform to exchange knowledge, catalyze partnerships, and convert demographic challenges into engines of development. The outcomes will inform policies, strengthen institutions, and mobilize resources across Africa, China, and the Global South.

I am confident that our deliberations will:

• Deepen China–Africa partnerships,
• Catalyze innovative financing mechanisms, and
• Advance the health, wellbeing, and resilience of populations across the Global South.

Let us seize this moment to reaffirm our commitment to building healthier, more prosperous, and resilient societies through solidarity, shared learning, and South–South Cooperation.

On behalf of PPD and our Dhaka Headquarters, I extend my deepest gratitude for your partnership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the ICPD vision.

I wish us all a productive, insightful, and impactful conference.

Thank you.

Opening Remarks

By

Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan
Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer
Partners in Population and Development (PPD)

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Delegates, Esteemed Colleagues and Friends,

It is an immense honour to join you today at the 4th China-Africa Conference on Population and Development. I extend warm greetings on behalf of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), an intergovernmental alliance representing 28 member states across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. This forum is a vital platform for knowledge exchange, strategic dialogue, and partnership building to address the demographic and public health challenges that shape sustainable development across the Global South.

We convene at a pivotal moment in human history. The world is witnessing profound demographic transformations characterized by declining fertility rates, accelerated population ageing, and large-scale migration. These shifts have significant implications for health systems, social protection frameworks, and economic planning. They necessitate a life-course approach to health that addresses the needs of individuals at every stage of life, from maternal and child health to adolescent health, reproductive health, adult care, and geriatric services. Central to this approach is the guarantee of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), which remain fundamental for improving population health outcomes, enhancing human capital, and enabling equitable and inclusive development. The family unit remains a cornerstone of these interventions, influencing health behaviours, wellbeing, and intergenerational development.

Africa is at the forefront of these demographic dynamics. With a population surpassing 1.5 billion in 2024 and projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, Africa’s youth population of nearly 294 million aged 15–24 represents both a historic opportunity and a strategic imperative. This demographic dividend can catalyse socio-economic transformation, but only if countries invest strategically in health, education, employment, and gender-responsive policies. The continent faces persistent health challenges, including high maternal and child mortality, widespread infectious diseases, malnutrition, and an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. Achieving universal health coverage (UHC), strengthening SRH services, and expanding access to family planning, contraception, and reproductive health education are critical steps toward maximizing the potential of this demographic advantage.

China and Kenya provide instructive examples of proactive, population-centred health governance. China, through its Healthy China 2030 strategy, prioritizes integrated health system strengthening, family-friendly policies, and equitable health service delivery across all age cohorts. Kenya, through the National Population Policy for Sustainable Development and the Universal Health Coverage Policy 2020–2030, is actively reforming its health sector to ensure equitable access, reduce financial barriers, and invest in human capital development. Both countries exemplify how coherent policy frameworks, aligned with demographic trends and supported by robust health financing, can promote health-enabling pathways for national development.

South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) are central to these efforts. The longstanding collaboration between China and African countries illustrates how technical expertise, policy innovation, and capacity-building initiatives can be exchanged and co-designed to address shared population and health challenges. SSTC fosters mutual learning, enabling countries with similar development contexts to adapt successful interventions while strengthening regional networks. Triangular Cooperation amplifies this effect by leveraging the technical expertise and financial resources of a third partner often a multilateral organization or donor—creating a multiplier effect for knowledge transfer, program implementation, and innovation. These mechanisms have been critical in advancing SRH programs, digital health interventions, demographic intelligence systems, and integrated service delivery models across multiple countries.

Innovative financing is a decisive factor in unlocking the demographic dividend and achieving UHC. Traditional funding streams are often insufficient to meet the growing demand for SRH services, adolescent health programs, and population-based interventions. PPD and its partners are pioneering blended financing instruments, combining public, private, and philanthropic resources to catalyse investment in health systems and demographic transition programs. These include development impact bonds, regional pooled procurement mechanisms to reduce the cost of essential SRH commodities, and catalytic investment funds to support health workforce development, digital health solutions, and demographic data infrastructure. By linking finance to measurable outcomes, these mechanisms ensure efficiency, accountability, and sustainability while unlocking new avenues for South-South partnerships.

The China-Africa Knowledge Centre for Health Development Cooperation, recently launched in Beijing, represents a tangible manifestation of these principles. It serves as a hub for technical exchange, research collaboration, and policy dialogue, enabling African countries to leverage China’s experience in health systems strengthening, population management, and technological innovation. Complementary initiatives in Kenya, including the collaboration between the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) and the China Population and Development Research Centre, have advanced capacity-building programs, policy innovation, and the dissemination of evidence-based best practices in SRH and public health.

The objectives of this conference are to consolidate the gains of previous China-Africa engagements, deepen technical cooperation in population and health, and identify policy priorities, financing strategies, and operational frameworks for scaling successful interventions. We aim to achieve a replicable model of China-Africa cooperation that can inform broader South-South efforts in other regions, ensuring that demographic potential is translated into sustainable development outcomes. Through structured dialogue across sessions on population dynamics, health system strengthening, data-driven policy, and SSTC frameworks, we will align strategies to maximize impact and ensure equitable health outcomes for all population cohorts.

Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,

As we embark on this conference, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to health-enabling pathways for Africa-China population development. Let us leverage innovative financing, robust SRH programs, and SSTC mechanisms to ensure that every individual regardless of age, gender, or location can access quality health services, exercise their reproductive rights, and participate fully in social and economic life. The demographic dividend of Africa, combined with China’s technical expertise and the solidarity inherent in South-South and Triangular Cooperation, offers a historic opportunity to accelerate health and development outcomes across the Global South.

I am confident that the deliberations and exchanges over the coming days will strengthen China-Africa partnerships, enhance the delivery of SRH and population services, mobilize innovative financing mechanisms, and advance sustainable, evidence-driven development strategies. Together, we can build resilient, inclusive societies where population dynamics are harnessed as engines of health, prosperity, and social wellbeing.

On behalf of Partners in Population and Development and our Dhaka Headquarters, I extend my deepest gratitude to all partners, delegates, and stakeholders for your unwavering commitment to advancing the ICPD vision and building a shared future for China and Africa.

I wish us all a productive, insightful, and transformative conference.

Thank you.

Venue and Date: Century Hall II, 3rd Floor Hotel Nikko New Century Beijing;  25 April 2024

Honorable Chair

Honorable speakers, Distinguish guest, experts and Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning

Indeed, it is my great pleasure to join with you today as representative of Partners in Population and Development (PPD) which is an intergovernmental organization of 27 Developing Countries. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank China Family Planning Association (CFPA), International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in China for inviting us in this crucial seminar in Beijing.

Ladies and gentlemen, on this esteemed occasion, I would like to acknowledge the immense and unparalleled contribution the Chinese Government has made towards PPD and South-South Cooperation (SSC).

The People’s Republic of China has led PPD on significant times as the Chair of PPD board, and Dr. Yu Xuejun, the Honorable Vice Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) and the president of China Family Planning Association (CFPA), currently serves as the vice-chair of PPD. I must say that with Government of China’s leadership and support, along with contributions from other PPD member countries, PPD has now established a Permanent Secretariat in Bangladesh. Therefore, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are gathered here today to discuss the Role of Civil Society Organization (CSO) in promoting  the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Agenda. ICPD is a significant milestone in transforming the global thinking on population and development issues to prioritize people’s dignity and rights at the center of sustainable development efforts.

Civil society, at all levels, plays a crucial role in shaping the ICPD Agenda. They advocate for the implementation of the Program of Action (PoA) and contribute to achieving the objectives of the ICPD. CSO is actively participate in the ICPD30 journey, both at national and international levels. They bring innovation, scale up services, and share knowledge and good practices, which complement the efforts of governments. Additionally, civil society organizations are partners with all investors – including public, private, and philanthropic organizations.

Honorable Moderator,

We are proud to acknowledge the contribution of PPD over the last 30 years in achieving the ICPD PoA. PPD works at both high-level political advocacy, policy transformation, and program implementation. It has three structural level constituencies, namely political 1) leaders/ministers, 2) senior bureaucrats, and 3) civil society groups. These three constituencies cooperate with each other to implement PPD’s strategies for achieving the ICPD agenda.

PPD has established partnerships with more than 20 national research and training institutes those are PPD’s Partner Institutions which are a valuable source of global think tank. PPD liaises with its partner institutions to provide scholarships to young professionals and managers who can contribute to policy and programmatic changes for accelerating ICPD at national levels. More than 80% of PPD countries have integrated ICPD agenda into their national policies and strategies. Fifty percent of its member countries have constituted a National Taskforce for SSC that comprises civil society organizations, leaders, and administrators.

The International Inter-Ministerial Conference (IIMC) is one of the PPD’s  global platform that advocates for South-South Cooperation (SSC) and supports the achievement of global agendas such as ICPD and SDGs. This platform serves as a peer-review mechanism to improve knowledge and share best practices of programs and policies. It inspires political leaders, program planners, and civil societies to replicate and scale up successful models or practices.

Ladies and Gentlemen, here I would like to mention of the China Government’s South South Cooperation Assistant Fund (SSCAF) Project has been implemented by PPD. This Project has brought a significant contribution for reducing maternal mortality in Bangladesh through addressing post-partum hemorrhage.

As part of this project, 102,000 Misoprostol tablets and 20,000 Postpartum Kits were distributed. With support from the National Research Institute of Family Planning (NRIFP) in Beijing and the Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (OGSB) of Bangladesh, a training module was developed to manage postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) using Misoprostol. A total of 120 healthcare providers were trained, and 480 individuals, including pregnant mothers, their relatives, and local leaders, were oriented on the use of Misoprostol and PPH prevention. Additionally, many advocacy activities were conducted (like short dramas in community level), on the prevention of PPH with Misoprostol.

Ladies and Gentleman,

At the end of the project, research shows that the SSCAF project has contributed to reducing PPH in project areas of Bangladesh. As a result, the SSCAF project holds great promise for scalability and offers valuable insights that can be replicated across PPD’s diverse member countries. Additionally, due to the significant contribution of the SSCAF project, the Bangladesh government has requested a scale-up of the project.

Ladies and gentlemen, PPD’s SSCAF project serves as an excellent example of the positive outcomes that can result from the collaboration of government and civil society.

At the conclusion, I wanted to emphasize that although progress has been made, there are still millions of women and adolescent girls in developing countries who are unable to exercise their reproductive rights due to the lack of access to modern contraceptive methods. Additionally, child marriage rates remain high, women continue to die during childbirth, and the potential of adolescent and young people is not being fulfilled. We believe, through the meaningful engagement of Civil Society Organizations, like the SSCAF project, that we can hope to address these issues and ensure a better future – Where no one will be left behind.

Thank you very much for your time and attention.

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Firstly, allow me on behalf of the PPD Board to thank UNFPA and you all to attend this august gathering at Thematic Solution Forum on SSTC for Reproductive Health and Population and Development. It is a great pleasure to me to represent PPD today during this forum.

PPD, an intergovernmental organization, was launched at the 1994 during International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Egypt with ten developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America to help implement the ICPD Program of Action (POA), specifically for the purpose of expanding and improving south-south cooperation in the fields of reproductive health, population, and development. Today, PPD has become an organization of 27 developing countries, representing close to 60% of the population of developing countries. PPD dedicates to the promotion and strengthening of South-South cooperation in reproductive health, family planning, and issues related to population policies and dynamics including aging. Through advocacy, policy dialogues, exchange of information and experience, capacity building, training, and technical cooperation, PPD partners with both its members and other countries in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action and SDGs 2030 agenda.

Ladies and gentlemen:

The landscape of international assistance in recent times has also changed significantly with the emerging economy countries, many of them are PPD member countries, becoming international assistance recipient and provider countries. The outcome document of the Second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40) held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 20 to 22 March 2019, re-emphasized the role of SSC in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At Nairobi Summit ICPD@25 in November 2019, SSTC was acknowledged as an alternative financial tool for achieving ICPD and SDGs.

We believe in progress but every era, every decade has its problems, small, big or critical. The problems we face now seem overwhelming. Despite we have hope to overcome them, we have global commitments like ICPD and SDGs, but we are worried about our future. People are suffering as a result of wars and conflicts but we want development as countries are facing challenges related to emerging population issues like aging, youth employment, fertility decline, urbanization, and migration.

We all are aware of the impact of COVID-19 on the health system globally and to address the COVID-19 pandemic, resources were diverted away from reproductive health services and population and development programs, to deal with the outbreak. COVID-19 caused disruptions and long-term impacts to sexual and reproductive health services, including those for maternal health. The crisis is deepening due to both impact of COVID-19 and the recent war in Europe on the international efforts to achieve the goals of zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and other harmful practices that were promised during ICPD+25.

The pandemic COVID-19 and the War in Europe have been a great burden to well-resourced countries, and its impact on lower-income countries and in humanitarian settings is even worse. The estimation made to address these 3 zeros globally (zero unmet need for family planning, zero preventable maternal deaths, and zero gender-based violence and other harmful practices) are getting more challenging to achieve.

Distinguished delegates, Ladies and gentlemen, 

It is evidenced that South-South Triangular Cooperation is an important alternative development model contributing to developing countries greatly in achieving ICPD and SDGs 2030 agendas. But,

1. Institutionalization of south-south triangular cooperation is a big challenge; for example there is no available Center of Excellence of South-South Triangular Cooperation on population and development in developing countries.

2. National south-south triangular cooperation focal persons are the key person for promoting SSTC at the country level but due to inadequate knowledge and skills they face challenges to deliver their role effectively.

3. A good framework that promotes the role of South-South and triangular cooperation as an instrument to the achievement of ICPD and SDGs 2030 Agenda.

4. Lack of well-defined national policies of SSTC that need to be established through national commitment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 I would like to make few recommendations for your consideration:

• UNFPA and PPD should take joint efforts to establish a “Center of Excellence” on south-south triangular cooperation on population and development.
• Capacity building training programs for national South-South Triangular cooperation focal persons and other government officials in developing countries to be taken.
• A South-South focal unit may be established in PPD partner country office with technical support from PPD and UNFPA to strengthen SSTC activities at national level.
• A strategic framework that promotes the role of South-South and triangular cooperation towards supporting innovation, new partnerships, knowledge-sharing and scaling up of proven best practices to achieve ICPD and SDGs 2030 agenda to be developed.
• Ensure political commitment for national policy and budget allocation for south-south cooperation and donors or international agencies need to prioritize funding south-south triangular cooperation in population and development.

In conclusion, I wish UNFPA and PPD will continue to work together for addressing the challenges related to South-South Cooperation in order to help developing countries address Reproductive Health and Population and Development issues and to expedite the progress for achieving ICPD and SDGs 2030 agenda so that no one is left behind.

[ Statement delivered by Ms. Tahrima Khan, Sr. Program Officer, Partners in Population and Development (PPD) ]