Demographic growth still a huge challenge to LDCs countries including Tanzania

 

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, Dr. Alberic Kacou speaks to invited dignitaries during the official launching of the Least Developed Countries Report 2013 today at the ILO conference room in Dar es Salaam.

By Damas Makangale.

The Least Developed Countries Report 2013 has indicated that despite the slow global recovery, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the LDCs has picked up from 4.5 per cent in 2011 to 5.3 percent in 2012.

The LDCs report that was prepared by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which was launched today said that the demographic change affects the environmental and socio-economic development of all countries, but especially the most vulnerable of the LDCs.

The report said that although the proportion of people in those countries who live on less than USD 1.25 per day (in extreme poverty) has declined, the number has continued to rise due to high population growth.

Report explained further that equally worrisome is the fact that the LDCs working age population will increase on average by 15.7 million people per year between 2010 and 2050 and in 11 LDCs by at least 0.5 million a year.

The report underscored that the projected increases are highest in the African LDCs including, Tanzania, where population will expand by more than 1 million people a year and the situation will pose a major employment and development challenge for the LDCs.

“Faced with the high fertility rates which averaging 4.4 children per woman during the period of 2005 -2010, the realization of a potential demographic dividend (where the dependency ratio is at its lowest) will require increased investment in the training, education and employment of youth,”