On April 24-26, 2024, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), which is the African Union agency tasked with providing technical leadership in the implementation of the ALM Declaration, convened the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS, through its West African Health Organisation (WAHO)) to review progress on implementation of ALM declaration and plan for the next two years.

The meeting, held in Accra, Ghana, provided an opportunity for the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP) and the Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD-ARO) to join the regional efforts in order to link their current joint initiative, Advance Domestic Health Financing (ADHF), to these efforts. The ADHF initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, works to support country and regional efforts to increase domestic investments in health and promote efficient utilisation of health budgets, with a focus on primary healthcare (PHC), girls’ and women’s health. The ADHF initiative is currently implemented in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Uganda.

The ALM meeting provided opportunity for AFIDEP and PPD-ARO to cultivate critical relationships with the AUDA-NEPAD, EAC, SADC and WAHO as well as identify specific areas of collaboration. At regional level, the ADHF initiative seeks to provide the evidence needed by regional bodies to inform their actions, as well as, strengthen political commitment for the ALM implementation. In line with this focus, AFIDEP and PPD-ARO together with the representatives of the AUDA-NEPAD, EAC, SADC and WAHO, identified key evidence gaps that need to be filled in order to strengthen the regional efforts to enhance health financing. These include: assessment of new financing models for health including tax studies for the different countries, viability studies for public health insurance which address vulnerable households and the informal sector, and efficiency studies particularly addressing leakages in health financing. On advocacy for political commitment, the institutional partners agreed to leverage the various political platforms operated by PPD-ARO for ALM advocacy, including the annual forums of the Network of African Parliamentary Committees on Health (NEAPACoH), the Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN), the PPD Partner Country Coordinators Forums, the International Inter-ministerial Conferences and the several national advocacy events involving parliamentarians, government technical people, civil society organisations, researchers, champions and the media that PPDARO conducts.

The ALM meeting reported notable progress in the EAC and SADC regions, mainly the formation of the regional health financing hubs (RHFHs), and, the hosting of national health financing dialogues in several countries that generated multi-stakeholder commitments towards tackling health financing challenges. Although the WAHO region had not established a hub, it reported various ongoing efforts to strengthen health financing in the sub-region, and for which the ALM Declaration should build on.

The three sub-regions reported a major challenge with funding to conduct the activities to support member states’ health financing efforts. Indeed one of the key action points was for each region to boost its resource mobilisation efforts in order to be able to implement its identified actions.

We (AFIDEP and PPD-ARO) are excited about our budding partnership with the AUDA-NEPAD, EAC, SADC and WAHO on health financing, and will continue strengthening this partnership through the joint activities agreed upon on evidence generation and use, and political advocacy.

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Experience at the Global South-South Development (GSSD) Expo by Dr. Ashrafi Ahmad, ndc, Partner Country Coordinator of Bangladesh and Additional Secretary (Population, Family Welfare and Law), Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The Global South-South Development (GSSD) Expo is an annual event organized by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) to showcase evidence-based successful development solutions and initiatives, in collaboration with United Nations agencies and all other partners. The GSSD Expo 2022 were co-hosted by the Government of Thailand and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and held from 12 to 14 September, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Experience at the Global South-South Development (GSSD) Expo by Ms. Tahrima Khan, Sr. Program Officer, PPD.

The Global South-South Development (GSSD) Expo is an annual event organized by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) to showcase evidence-based successful development solutions and initiatives, in collaboration with United Nations agencies and all other partners. The GSSD Expo 2022 were co-hosted by the Government of Thailand and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and held from 12 to 14 September, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Partners in Population and Development (PPD) is celebrating the International Women’s Day, 8^th March 2022, and join international community including UN Women to support global efforts for “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. One of PPD’s strategic Plan (2020-2024) objectives is to end gender-based violence and harmful practices including early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation. To that end, member countries will strengthen national policies and programs and ensure to realize CEDAW commitment to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls everywhere to achieve ICPD and SDGs. PPD is working with its member countries and partners to increase, through effective and transformational South-South cooperation, the exchange of best practices, successful experiences and lessons learned to improve gender equality in developing countries.

PPD supports IWD’s efforts “Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

Together we can forge women’s equality, Break the Bias !

Since its launching in Cairo in 1994 by 10 developing countries and with the dramatic success in its program implementation through sustained advocacy, capacity building, sharing, exchange and transfer of knowledge, successful experiences, expertise and best practices among the member countries, PPD attracted 17 other countries to join a unique and robust global intergovernmental organization leading South-South Cooperation in reproductive health, population and development, creating and continue to create strong friendship, solidarity and fraternity among its PPD member states.

This year, we are celebrating the International Day of South-South Cooperation in the midst of an unprecedented Coronavirus Pandemic that terribly affected the lives and livelihood of the people of all nations. PPD Member Countries, in the spirit of friendship and solidarity of South-South Cooperation, restrained the damage of the Pandemic to a great extent by facilitating the exchange of technology, successful experiences, medical supplies, health scientists and experts and providing vaccines, and the collaboration still continues unabated.

Since physical movements and assemblies are restricted due to the Pandemic, we have facilitated exchange of experiences and expertise virtually by organizing online meetings, webinars and conducting activities in our member states with the support of our Partner Country Coordinators. Undoubtedly, the Pandemic left, so far, indelible mark on the health, lives, social fabrics and economies of all countries including our members. PPD will fast-track the South-South Cooperation activities for improving the health and wellbeing of all and leave no one behind.

As a pioneer and global leader in South-South Cooperation, we have spared no effort to ascertain South-South Cooperation as an indispensable modality of international cooperation. We have institutionalized the SSC in PPD Member Countries, deepened the country commitments and ownerships, broaden the collaborations, built and maintained strong coalitions and alliances with the organizations promoting South-South Cooperation. We have maintained a strong partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to improve reproductive health, family planning, maternal health and are working jointly to achieve Nairobi Commitments. We have developed strong collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) for more sharing of southern best practices and partnership. Development organizations worldwide now pursue South-South Cooperation as one of their priority strategic oversights.

On this auspicious occasion, PPD takes the opportunity to congratulate and thank the Member States through our honorable Board Members and Partner Country Coordinators, collaborating partners and all other organizations and agencies promoting South-South Cooperation. We wish best of success to all their endeavors towards improving the lives of the people during and post COVID 19 era.

Adnene Ben Haj Aissa

Executive Director
Partners in Population and Development (PPD)

Depuis son lancement au Caire en 1994 par 10 pays en développement et avec le succès spectaculaire dans la mise en œuvre de ses programmes grâce au plaidoyer soutenu, au renforcement des capacités, au partage, échange et transfert des connaissances, des expériences réussies et des meilleures pratiques entre ses états membres, PPD a attiré 17 autres pays, devenue ainsi une organisation intergouvernementale unique et solide, menant la coopération Sud-Sud en matière de santé reproductive, de population et de développement, créant et continuant à créer une amitié, une solidarité et une fraternité fortes entre ses États membres.

Cette année, nous célébrons la Journée internationale de la coopération Sud-Sud au milieu d’une pandémie de coronavirus sans précédent qui a terriblement affecté la vie et les moyens de subsistance des peuples de toutes les nations. Les pays membres du PPD, dans l’esprit d’amitié, de solidarité et de coopération Sud-Sud, ont limité dans une large mesure les dégâts de la pandémie en facilitant l’échange d’expériences réussies, d’équipement et moyens médicaux, l’envoi de professionnels et d’experts de la santé et en fournissant des vaccins, et la collaboration se poursuit sans relâche.

Étant donné que les mouvements physiques et les rassemblements sont limités en raison de la pandémie, nous avons facilité l’échange d’expériences et d’expertise virtuellement en organisant des réunions en ligne, des webinaires et en menant des activités dans nos États membres avec le soutien de nos Coordonnateurs des Pays Partenaires. Sans aucun doute, la pandémie a laissé, jusqu’à présent, une marque indélébile sur la santé, la vie, les tissus sociaux et les économies de tous les pays, y compris nos membres. PPD accélérera les activités de coopération Sud-Sud pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être de tous et ne laissera personne de côté.

En tant que pionnier et leader mondial de la coopération Sud-Sud, nous n’avons ménagé aucun effort pour faire de la coopération Sud-Sud une modalité indispensable de la coopération internationale. Nous avons œuvré pour institutionnaliser la CSS et soutenir les engagements des pays membres, élargir les collaborations et établir des coalitions avec les organisations qui soutiennent la coopération Sud-Sud. Nous avons maintenu un partenariat solide avec le Fonds des Nations Unies pour la population (UNFPA) pour améliorer la santé reproductive, la planification familiale, la santé maternelle et travaillons conjointement pour réaliser les engagements de Nairobi. Nous avons développé une collaboration étroite avec le Bureau des Nations Unies pour la coopération Sud-Sud (UNOSSC) pour un meilleur partage des meilleures pratiques et des partenariats. Les organisations de développement du monde entier considèrent désormais la coopération Sud-Sud comme l’une de leurs priorités stratégiques.

En cette journée, PPD tient à féliciter et remercier ses États membres par l’intermédiaire de nos honorables membres du Conseil d’administration et les Coordonnateurs des Pays Partenaires, les organismes collaborateurs et les agences onusiennes. Nous souhaitons le meilleur des succès à tous leurs efforts pour améliorer la vie des gens pendant et après l’ère COVID 19.

Adnene ben Haj Aissa
Directeur Exécutif
Partenaires en Population et Développement (PPD)

Partners in Population and Development (PPD) pays sincere homage and tribute on the 46^th martyrdom anniversary of the founding father of Bangladeshi, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was brutally murdered along with his wife Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, his sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel (only 10 years old) and his daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosi Jamal. Bangabandhu’s younger brother Sheikh Nasser, brother-in-law Abdur Rob Serniabat, his son Arif and daughter Baby, Sukant Babu, Bangabandhu’s nephew, youth leader and liberation war organizer Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni, Arju Moni and Abdul Naeem Khan along with Abdul Naeem Khan, who could not escape from this heinous murder of the world.

We express our heartfelt grief and condolence on this heartrending occasion to the Prime Minister, family members and people of Bangladesh.

Long live their memory.

Today, the world is celebrating the Population Day under unprecedented severe health crisis, which continues for the second year to challenge the 7.8 Billion people around the globe, and affecting mostly those in developing countries. Effective efforts have been made since the International Conference on Population and Development held in Cairo in 1994 aiming at controlling and stabilizing population growth, improve access to RH/FP services and commodities, reducing maternal and child mortality and empower women for more equity and prevention from gender based violence. The ICPD@25 held in Nairobi in November 2019 reaffirmed the commitments of Governments to keep their promise to accelerate the implementation of ICPD program of action within the agenda of SDGs by 2030. The main commitments adopted at the Nairobi Summit on three zero objectives: Zero unmet needs in Family Planning, Zero preventable maternal death and Zero gender based violence and harmful practice to girls and women, will bring governments, international partners and other stakeholders to work together, building collaborative partnerships to achieve these objectives.

Partners in Population and Development (PPD), the intergovernmental organization of 27 member countries representing more than 60% of the world population and working for the implementation of ICPD PoA through effective and transformational south-south cooperation programs, committed to integrate the Nairobi Summit commitments into national development plans and take concrete actions, based on PPD Strategic Plan (2020-2024), to fulfill the commitments through SSTC for achieving the ICPD and the SDGs set to be accomplished by 2030, with specific emphasis on achieving the three zeros and responding to emerging issues and challenges on population and reproductive health generated and to be generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the 17^th International Inter ministerial Conference on South-South Cooperation in Population and Development held in 2020, PPD member  countries exhorted international community and relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainable financing in SSC for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health programmes by 2030, for fulfilling the Nairobi Summit commitments and accelerating the implementation of MCH and RH-related SDGs, and make sure that no one is left behind in these challenging and critical times.

On this renewed occasion of the World Population Day, PPD and its member countries will celebrate the event with greater concern on its population affected by the COVID19 pandemic, calling upon all nations and development partners to work together in order to fulfill their engagements taken in Cairo in 1994 and reaffirmed in Nairobi in 2021 to uphold the lives of the people in developing countries, improve the health including reproductive health of girls and women and reduce high maternal and child mortality. PPD will continue to collaborate with its partners to promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Reproductive health, family planning, population and development and bring the changes needed for achieving SDGs by 2030.

Considering the global needs within the context of COVID-19 era, PPD will host in November 2021, its 18^th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South Cooperation in Population and Development on the theme of “Sustained South-South Cooperation programs for the achievement of ICPD and SDGs”.