NEW YORK, 13 April 2026 — Professor Dr. Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), delivered the Final Discussant Remarks at a high-level side event during the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD59). The event, titled “The role of South-South and 
multilateral cooperation in strengthening national capacities for the analysis and effective use of population data,” was jointly organized by the Population Division of UN DESA, the China Population and Development Research Center (CPDRC), the Kenya National Council for Population and Development, and UNFPA, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations.
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.
