The National Observatory of the Demographic Dividend, in collaboration with the regional consortium for research in generational economy, organized on Friday, an exchange meeting with parliamentarians on the question of economic growth in link with the evolution of demography.
“We exchanged with parliamentarians to discuss the challenges of the demographic dividend in Burkina Faso,” said the coordinator of the National Demographic Dividend Observatory, Dr. Issa Larba Kobiagda.
According to him, the meeting with the representatives of the people aims to share with them, reflections on capturing the demographic and gender dividend for the implementation of the best policies, through the allocation of financial resources in Burkina Faso.
Mr. Kobiagda, also director general of the economy and planning, spoke on Friday in Ouagadougou, during a parliamentary dialogue workshop on gender and the dividend.
The coordinator of the National Demographic Dividend Observatory, Dr Issa Larba Kobiagda
“The parliamentarians were effectively available for us to discuss a certain number of studies that we carried out. These studies were produced to inform the authority and those responsible for giving the anointing to the government, for the implementation of public policies,” he argued.
For Issa Larba Kobiagda, it will be a question, during the debates, of allowing parliamentarians to better appropriate the concept of demographic dividend, in order to accompany the Burkinabè youth to be a force capable of transforming the country.
According to him, the question of youth is really worrying because more than 77% of the Burkinabè population is under 35 years old. Dr. Kobiagda underlined that this constitutes an opportunity but also a danger for Burkina Faso, if the youth is misguided.
The vice-president of the Gender, Health and Humanitarian Action Commission (CGSAH) of the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT), Elie Somé, for his part, indicated that the meeting constitutes a plea on gender and the demographic dividend.
Mr. Somé said that his institution will be equipped on the issue of capturing the demographic dividend in order to meet the challenges in this area.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Foresight, Nicolas Kobiané praised the good collaboration between his supervisory department and the ALT for the holding of the workshop on the demographic dividend.
According to him, the Burkinabè population has increased from 14 million in 2006 to 20 million inhabitants in 2019, all of which challenges the authorities on human development issues.
Mr. Kobiané pointed out that various strategies have been developed by the rulers in order to meet the expectations of the populations in terms of the demographic and gender dividend in Burkina Faso.
Created in July 2020, the National Observatory of the Demographic Dividend aims to help decision-making on the issue of economic growth in connection with the evolution of demography.
Source: Burkina Information Agency