Statistics South Africa Hosts International Population Conference in Cape Town, 29 Oct to 4 Nov

International Population Conference to be held in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe world's population scientists are set to tackle population and related issues as experts converge in Cape Town from 29 October to 4 November 2017 for the International Population Conference the first in the 88-year history of the conference to be held in sub-Saharan Africa.Around 2,000 population scientists, policymakers, civic organisation and government leaders from around the world will assemble in Cape Town at the end of October to discuss the latest population research and debate pressing global and regional population issues.

Research on South Africa and the continent's challenges of poverty, population, health, economic growth and recommend policy interventions to advance development in the region, are some of the issues to be discussed at the IPC. Also on the agenda are population and policy challenges in Africa, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, non-communicable diseases, health and mortality, the challenge of producing skills for a 21st century African labour force, and challenges in overcoming poverty, inequality and vulnerability.

About 4 572 submissions received from 131 countries are indicative of the wealth of knowledge that will be shared amongst the experts from different parts of the world. Organisations working in the population field will hold sessions as part of the regular scientific programme of the conference to highlight research conducted on population issues or supported by their institutions to the global community of leading population scholars and policy makers present at the conference.

South Africa's Statistician-General, Dr Pali Lehohla, says the conference will help refocus the attention of political leaders on the continent to population and development issues. "Hosting the conference on sub-Saharan African soil will be an opportunity to re-energise the discourse of the role and integration of the population...