Africa and its demographic challenges: an uncertain future

Africa and its demographic challenges: an uncertain future

Is there an African exception in terms of demography? What will be the implications of huge growth in African demography in the future? This book stems from collaboration with CEPED, provides answers to these questions and puts demographic issues back as a focus for the concerns of development actors.
Against the current backdrop of globalization Africa suffers from political and economic marginalization, yet its population is ever-increasing and will practically double over the next forty years from 750 million in 2006 to 1.4 billion by 2040.
 
Sub-Saharan Africa, with its youthful population, its growth rate and belated and limited demographic transition already faces challenges from its demography and is questioning its future. Does an African demographic exception exist or is there simply a time lag? Will the long-awaited development be compromised by the burden of demographic inertia? What policies and actions can accelerate the current process?
 
In order to enhance its strategy definition Agence française de Développement (AFD) commissioned CEPED, the French Population and Development Center, to examine all these issues. Specialized researchers were therefore asked to evaluate the demographic issues of sustainable development in Africa. This book provides a synthesis of their research and aims, in an innovative manner, to present their most relevant findings to the political world. The aim of this approach is to compare the opinions of scientists, decision-makers and actors in the field.

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