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During a four-day gathering in Burkina Faso’s capital, the annual steering committee of the SWEDD (Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend) project concluded with a determined vision for the upcoming year. Led by Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla, the discussions focused on leveraging the demographic potential of the region. Initially involving six nations, the SWEDD project has expanded to include 12 countries, aiming to position Africa as a crucial engine of global demographic growth.
The current population of the SWEDD countries is estimated at 200 million in 2022, with projections anticipating a significant increase to 285 million by 2035 and 405 million by 2050. Burkina Faso’s Minister of Health, Robert Kargougou, emphasized the importance of this demographic shift, highlighting the prevalence of youth and women in SWEDD countries. He underscored the need to invest in these demographic segments through education, healthcare, and socio-economic opportunities.
Minister Kargougou stated, “The countries of the SWEDD will contribute to making Africa the primary locomotive of global demographic growth,” recognizing the potential and challenges presented by the youth and women in the region. He called for empowering women to catalyze development and create a more prosperous and equitable future.
The committee appointed new leadership to spearhead SWEDD initiatives in a strategic political move. Burkina Faso assumed the Presidency, demonstrating its commitment to advancing the project’s agenda. At the same time, Benin took on the role of Vice Presidency, aligning with the collective pursuit of demographic dividends in the Sahel region. The annual steering committee’s deliberations set the stage for collaborative efforts to harness the demographic potential and drive sustainable development across the SWEDD countries.
