During the meeting, Professor Adelegan formally introduced himself as the newly appointed Executive Director of PPD and provided a comprehensive update on the organization’s current strategic initiatives. He emphasized the critical role that Indonesia plays as a highly valued Member State within the intergovernmental alliance. The discussions centered on Indonesia’s steadfast commitment to advancing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda through robust South-South Cooperation frameworks. Professor Adelegan expressed deep appreciation on behalf of the PPD Secretariat for Indonesia’s continued leadership and engagement, which remains vital to the shared mission of promoting sustainable population and development policies across the Global South.

The courtesy visit also provided an opportunity to explore new avenues for strengthening the bilateral partnership. Both leaders discussed the importance of leveraging Indonesia’s diplomatic support and technical expertise to enhance capacity building, experience sharing, and policy exchange among PPD member countries. The meeting concluded with a mutual reaffirmation of the commitment to deepening South-South Cooperation and working collaboratively to address the pressing demographic and reproductive health challenges facing developing nations today.

The 59^th Session, held from 13 to 17 April 2026, convened under the theme of population, technology, and research in the context of sustainable development. Speaking on behalf of PPD’s 28 member countries—which represent nearly 60 percent of the global population—Professor Adelegan acknowledged the progress made since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), while starkly highlighting the challenges that remain.

In his address during the first day of the plenary session of the Commission, Professor Adelegan presented sobering statistics that underscore the urgency of the moment. He noted that while 380 million women and girls in low- and lower-middle-income countries are now using modern contraception, the global maternal mortality ratio remains unacceptably high at 197 deaths per 100,000 live births—far above the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of less than 70 .

“The evidence is clear: progress has been made, but the gaps remain too wide,” Professor Adelegan stated. “Globally, about 260,000 women died in 2023 from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 92 per cent of those deaths occurred in low- and lower-middle-income countries.”

To address these disparities, the Executive Director proposed a comprehensive three-pillar framework:

1. Investing in Primary Health Care: Prioritizing midwifery, community health workers, commodity security, and rights-based family planning.
2. Closing the Digital Divide: Moving beyond infrastructure to invest in local research capacity, data governance, and digital literacy.
3. Bridging the Financing Gap: Utilizing both traditional and innovative financial instruments to meet the estimated US$4 trillion annual SDG financing shortfall.

A central theme of the Executive Director’s address was the critical need for innovative and catalytic financing. With traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA) under pressure, Professor Adelegan emphasized that new financial models are essential to safeguard hard-won gains in reproductive health.

He highlighted that an additional US$79 billion investment by 2030 in family planning and maternal health would generate approximately US$660 billion in economic benefits, yielding nearly US$27 in health and economic returns for every dollar invested . To unlock this potential, he advocated for mechanisms such as blended finance, results-based financing, pooled procurement, and social impact bonds to de-risk investments and crowd in private capital.

Concluding his statement, the Executive Director issued a clear call to action to the international community.

“The message from this Commission should be clear: the ICPD agenda is achievable, but only if we match political declarations with data, technology, financing and implementation partnerships.”

PPD remains steadfast in its commitment to working alongside Member States, the United Nations system, and development partners to scale best practices, mobilize catalytic financing, and accelerate the delivery of the ICPD Programme of Action.

The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both organizations to advancing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Global South.

During the meeting, Professor Adelegan formally introduced himself as the newly appointed Executive Director of PPD and provided a comprehensive update on the organization’s current strategic initiatives. The dialogue centered on the critical importance of the collaboration between PPD and UNOSSC in addressing the complex demographic and health challenges facing developing nations.

As the only intergovernmental organization dedicated specifically to promoting South-South Cooperation in reproductive health, population, and development, PPD holds a unique position within the international development architecture. Professor Adelegan emphasized that PPD highly values its strategic partnership with UNOSSC, noting that their joint efforts are essential for scaling successful interventions and mobilizing resources.

The meeting concluded with a mutual reaffirmation of the strong ties between PPD and UNOSSC. Both leaders expressed optimism about the future of their partnership and the tangible benefits it will deliver to the 28 member countries of PPD and the broader Global South.

During the meeting, Professor Adelegan formally introduced himself as the new Executive Director of PPD and briefed His Excellency on the organization’s mandate, strategic priorities, and ongoing efforts to strengthen South–South and Triangular Cooperation in the fields of population, reproductive health, and sustainable development.

The Executive Director expressed sincere appreciation for the longstanding support of The Gambia to PPD since its accession to the organization in 1999. He acknowledged the country’s continued engagement and valuable contribution to advancing the shared goals of PPD and its Member States.

The discussion also provided an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of sustained political commitment and partnership in promoting population and development priorities across the Global South. Both sides underscored the value of collaboration in addressing common challenges and advancing collective solutions through intergovernmental cooperation.

The meeting reflected the strong and enduring partnership between PPD and The Gambia and reaffirmed a shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in support of the ICPD Programme of Action and the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the meeting, Professor Adelegan formally introduced himself in his capacity as the newly appointed Executive Director of PPD and provided Ambassador Lokaale and his delegation with a comprehensive overview of the organization’s mandate, governance structure, and strategic direction. The Executive Director outlined PPD’s five strategic pillars around which its programmes are organised and executed, including the Centre of Excellence programme, the NAPACO meeting series, and the International Interministerial Panel, which convenes Member States to deliberate on issues of common interest. He also highlighted PPD’s postgraduate training programme in Sexual and Reproductive Health, which offers scholarships in partnership with institutions in China, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt, as well as the organization’s innovation funnel framework designed to identify best practices among Member States and replicate successful programmes across the PPD network.

Professor Adelegan also drew attention to PPD’s ongoing effort to build a Knowledge Management Portal,  a comprehensive digital repository and one-stop platform to harness and disseminate information on sexual and reproductive health across the Global South. He acknowledged that PPD’s visibility had historically been limited and shared his active plans to expand the organization’s membership by engaging five new countries from Central Africa and the MENA region. He further expressed his commitment to elevating PPD’s profile on the global stage, including at major international platforms such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).

Ambassador Lokaale engaged actively throughout the discussions and expressed his appreciation for PPD’s work, particularly Kenya’s role as host of a PPD Centre of Excellence and Training Facility. The Ambassador underscored the critical importance of sexual and reproductive health and the need for evidence-based population planning to inform sound policy decisions. He also raised the question of PPD’s current membership of 28 countries and encouraged the Executive Director to clearly articulate the organization’s activities and impact to enable Member States to make informed decisions on how best to support PPD’s mission. The Ambassador noted that while some Member States hold reservations regarding sexual and reproductive health, it remains an essential area that demands sustained attention and advocacy.

The Republic of Kenya holds a distinguished position within the PPD governance structure, serving as the Treasurer of the PPD Board. In this capacity, Kenya plays a pivotal role in the financial stewardship and strategic oversight of the organization. The productive and substantive exchange at the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations reflects the strong foundation of this bilateral relationship and the shared commitment of both parties to advancing the ICPD agenda, promoting South-South Cooperation, and ensuring that population and development remain central to the global sustainable development discourse.

The meeting provided an important opportunity to reaffirm the longstanding partnership between PPD and the Government of Pakistan and to discuss ways to further strengthen collaboration in support of shared priorities in population and development.

During the discussion, Professor Adelegan briefed Dr. Saleem on PPD’s current strategic direction and ongoing efforts to enhance South–South and Triangular Cooperation among Member States. He also underscored PPD’s commitment to supporting Member Countries through policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and partnership development in the areas of reproductive health, population, and sustainable development.

Dr. Saleem reaffirmed Pakistan’s engagement with PPD and highlighted the importance of continued collaboration to advance national and regional priorities. Both sides exchanged views on opportunities to further strengthen PPD’s support to the Government of Pakistan, particularly through technical cooperation, shared learning, and strategic engagement within the broader framework of the ICPD Programme of Action.

The meeting reflected the mutual commitment of PPD and Pakistan to deepening cooperation and advancing collective efforts to address population and development challenges through intergovernmental partnership and South–South collaboration.

Addressing an expert panel and international delegates in Conference Room 12 at UN Headquarters, Professor Adelegan synthesized the core themes of the session, which highlighted successful capacity-building models in Pakistan, Uganda, and Kenya. He articulated a compelling vision for the future of demographic intelligence in the Global South. “We are witnessing a paradigm shift from data production to data sovereignty. Countries are increasingly becoming producers, owners, and users of their own demographic intelligence” Professor Adelegan noted in his address.

He emphasized that effective capacity development must move beyond ad-hoc workshops toward institutionalized systems embedded within national structures. Furthermore, he highlighted how South-South and Triangular Cooperation are evolving into dynamic platforms for scale, innovation, and technology transfer, particularly in the context of digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Professor Adelegan reaffirmed PPD’s unique role as an intergovernmental organization of 28 member countries, uniquely positioned to advance this agenda. He outlined PPD’s readiness to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange among member states, support the scaling of successful models such as the AI-enabled forecasting systems and PADIS-INT tools presented at the event, and collaborate with UNFPA, UN DESA, and partners to strengthen national capacities in population data systems, particularly in sexual and reproductive health. In his concluding remarks, he offered three forward-looking reflections: the need to move from tools to systems through robust institutional ecosystems; the imperative to bridge the gap between data and policy by integrating population data into national development planning and budgeting; and the call to ensure equity, transparency, and trust as developing countries embrace AI and digital innovation. “The task ahead is to move from capacity to sustainability, from data to intelligence, and from cooperation to co-creation,” he concluded.

On the sidelines of the event, Professor Adelegan held a highly productive bilateral meeting with the leadership of CPDRC, including Ms. MA Aili, Deputy Director-General, CPDRC, and Dr. Mengjun TANG, Research Fellow at CPDRC. Professor Adelegan expressed deep appreciation for the Chinese government’s steadfast support for South-South Cooperation in population and development. He provided an overview of PPD’s ongoing 2026–2030 strategic planning and updates on the new Executive Committee, emphasizing that investing in population and development yields greater returns than economic investments alone. He commended China’s remarkable achievements in human-centered development, particularly in health and education, noting that China’s experience offers invaluable lessons for other developing nations. Professor Adelegan also expressed PPD’s strong willingness to strengthen collaboration with CPDRC, highlighting the immense potential of leveraging PPD’s extensive intergovernmental network alongside CPDRC’s role as a Population and Development South-South Cooperation Center of Excellence to enhance capacity building, experience sharing, and policy exchange among member countries.

In response, Ms. MA Aili affirmed CPDRC’s unwavering commitment to building a robust cooperative relationship with PPD. She stressed the critical importance of disseminating China’s experiences and technical expertise, and working closely with developing countries to advance shared goals in population and development. The meeting underscored the dedication of both organizations to deepening South-South Cooperation and supporting sustainable, evidence-based population policies across PPD member states.

]]> https://www.partners-popdev.org/ppd-executive-director-champions-data-sovereignty-and-deepens-strategic-ties-with-cpdrc-at-cpd59/feed/ 0 https://www.partners-popdev.org/ppd-calls-for-transformative-financing-and-south-south-cooperation-to-end-preventable-maternal-and-child-deaths/ https://www.partners-popdev.org/ppd-calls-for-transformative-financing-and-south-south-cooperation-to-end-preventable-maternal-and-child-deaths/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:26:14 +0000 http://www.partners-popdev.org/?p=6314 ...]]> NAIROBI, Kenya – 24 March 2026 – Professor Dr. Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), delivered a powerful closing address at a high-level policy side event at the International Maternal New-Born Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026, calling for a radical shift in financing and cooperation to end preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths.

The event, titled “Shaping the Future of MNCH: Country-Led Policy & Financing Dialogue,” was convened by the SMART Advocacy for Strategic Action (SASA) Alliance and a consortium of partners. It brought together ministers, parliamentarians, and global health leaders to address the persistent gaps in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH).

In his closing remarks, Professor Adelegan declared that the world is not facing a knowledge gap, but rather a “delivery, quality, equity, and financing gap.” He framed the annual US$20-25 billion financing deficit for MNCH not as a mere statistic, but as a “gap between life and death” that translates into health facilities without essential equipment, stock-outs of life-saving commodities, and communities left without access to basic care.

“These are not just numbers,” Professor Adelegan stated. “They represent lives lost to postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and newborn sepsis. They represent new-borns dying from birth asphyxia and prematurity. Let us be clear: the majority of these deaths are preventable. And this is what makes the situation not only tragic but unacceptable.”

Professor Adelegan outlined a three-pronged strategy for transformative change, urging leaders to move beyond fragmented, unsustainable financing models:

1. Strengthened Domestic Resource Mobilization: He called on countries to move toward the Abuja target of allocating at least 15% of national budgets to health, prioritizing primary healthcare and MNCH services while reducing out-of-pocket expenditures.
2. Innovative and Catalytic Financing: He highlighted the potential of blended finance, health bonds, and other innovative instruments to mobilize large-scale private investment and expand fiscal space for health.
3. South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Professor Adelegan emphasized that South-South Cooperation is “no longer optional, it is essential.” He positioned PPD as a central player in enabling countries to share and scale cost-effective MNCH solutions, from community health worker programs to maternal death surveillance and response systems.

He concluded with a powerful call to action, urging the distinguished delegates to leave the room not with declarations, but with concrete commitments.

“The future of maternal, new-born, and child health will not be determined by what we say,” he affirmed. “It will be determined by what we do. Let us act boldly, urgently, technically, and collectively. Because the time for action is now.”

The event provided a critical platform for dialogue on country-led solutions and set a clear agenda for leveraging policy, advocacy, and financing to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals for maternal and child health.

:: Read the Closing Remarks

Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan with SASA Alliance team at the IMNHC 2026

Executive Director, Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan with Gates Foundation Staff, Mr. Patrick Mugirwa – Acting Regional Director – PPD African Regional Office,  and SASA Alliance team

The high-level meeting, held from February 25-26 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, convened under the theme, “Advancing Health Systems for emergency response, equity, resilience and sustainability in the context of attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Re-positioning the Role of Parliamentarians.” Professor Adelegan played a pivotal role in the proceedings, delivering the opening remarks, a keynote presentation, and the closing remarks for the influential gathering of African lawmakers.

In his keynote address on “Innovative & Catalytic Financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) to Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” Professor Adelegan outlined a strategic financial roadmap to bridge the significant funding gaps in Africa’s health sector. He called for a move beyond traditional donor funding towards a more sustainable model that includes earmarked health taxes, social health insurance expansion, blended finance models, diaspora bonds, and impact investment instruments. He emphasized that these financial frameworks must be paired with catalytic investments in high-impact areas such as community health workers, local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and digital health platforms.

Throughout his speeches, Professor Adelegan consistently underscored the indispensable role of legislators in transforming health systems. He challenged the parliamentarians to move beyond being mere endorsers of policy to becoming the primary drivers of reform.

“Parliamentarians are not peripheral actors in the health ecosystem. They are central architects of national resilience,” Professor Adelegan stated in his opening remarks. “Through legislation, budget approvals, oversight, and constituency representation, parliaments shape the trajectory of health systems. Re-positioning parliamentarians means recognizing them not merely as policy approvers, but as champions of resilience, custodians of equity, and stewards of sustainability.”

The meeting culminated in the adoption of the Lusaka Call to Action, a landmark document that Professor Adelegan urged should be a measurable and actionable commitment rather than a symbolic gesture. In his closing remarks, he championed the inclusion of specific, numeric benchmarks within the Call to Action, including commitments to reduce out-of-pocket health expenditure below 20%, achieve annual maternal mortality reductions of at least 10%, and close 30% of the unmet need for contraception by 2030.

Professor Adelegan reaffirmed PPD’s unwavering commitment to supporting these efforts through its mandate to promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation. He highlighted that PPD stands ready to partner with NEAPACOH to share proven models for insurance reform, exchange financing innovations, and collaborate on strengthening the health workforce and local pharmaceutical production across the continent.

“May history record that in February 2026, African parliamentarians gathered in Lusaka not merely to discuss UHC but to legislate its future,” he concluded. “The future of Africa’s health systems depends not on what we have said here but on what we will enact tomorrow.”

Professor Adelegan’s influential participation in the 17th NEAPACOH Meeting has reinforced PPD’s position as a key partner in advancing health equity and sustainable development across the Global South, emphasizing that legislative action and financial innovation are the cornerstones of building a healthier future for all Africans.

PPD Executive Director with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Rt. Hon Dr Nelly B.K. Mutti 

PPD Executive Director with Dr Amina Aminu Dorayi, the Regional Portfolio Director, West and Central Africa, PATHFINDER

:: Remarks by PPD ED at the Opening 

:: Remarks by PPD ED at the Closing

:: Presentation by PPD ED on “Innovative & Catalytic Financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) to Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC)”