In recent years, African leaders have promoted the demographic dividend as a continental priority (Agenda 2063, Common African Position on the post-2015 development agenda leading to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the decision by Heads of State and Government to focus the 2017 Assemblies of the African Union on the demographic dividend and youth empowerment). 

Leaders and stakeholders across the West and Central Africa region have also progressively embraced the framework and this is illustrated by the significant number of countries integrating the demographic dividend into national development plans.

Building on this momentum, the member countries of the Sahel Women's Empowerment Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) initiative, are attending a regional capacity building workshop to prepare their country profiles. Country experts are trained to master the demographic dividend measurement and analysis using the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) methodology. This session is part of the ongoing operationalization of the SWEDD partnership between UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, World Bank, and other sub-regional organisations like the Centre for Research in Applied Economics and Finance (CREFAT) of the University of Thies (Senegal). 

Sixty experts: economists, demographers, planners, diplomats, statisticians and other experts from Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Niger and Chad are taking part in this session and are expected once they return to their respective countries, to inform and help achieve the national development vision.

The Regional Director of the UNFPA West and Central Africa Regional Office, Mr. Mabingue Ngom, officially launched the regional workshop in Saly (Senegal) on April 20, 2016 (workshop started on April 18, 2016).

“This process and effort is particularly relevant as it enables UNFPA and countries in the region to be ahead of the demographic dividend curve”, Mr. Ngom said.

"We are being innovative and adding value by leveraging local resources, building local capability and expertise, using competent African institutions like CREFAT, and contributing to national development processes as well as the requested African Union demographic dividend roadmap.”

The participating countries welcomed the UNFPA and CREFAT initiative and are making solid progress in finalising their country profiles.