Issued by: Minister for Welfare, Population and Development
Durban 9 December 1999
The South African government is satisfied that the objectives that have been set by hosting the Third African Population Conference have been met.
We managed to facilitate the promotion of collaboration on population issues on the continent in a manner that defined South Africa's role in population and development in Africa more accurately.
Partnerships between governments, non-governmental organisations and the research community were created, or reinforced. The National Population Unit concluded several in principle agreements. Mainly, to promote capacity building on matters of national and regional interest, both in support of its own programme and the activities of its partners. Offers for assistance, in terms of research and training capacity building, has been extended to the Unit and its partners from international agencies and other governments.
Prior to the conference, the government and representatives of South African universities agreed to utilise the conference as an opportunity to jointly identify research and training opportunities in the field of population and development for our country. Following the conference, the country will adopt a more structured and focussed approach to the major population challenges facing us. A national population and development research agenda will also be agreed on. At the conference we learnt that our national priorities, i.e. to arrest the growth of HIV / AIDS and to empower women to exercise their reproductive rights, have a continental dimension. We were able to learn from the successes and failures of other countries.
More than 700 participants, including 350 South Africans, attended the conference. This included four Members of Provincial Executive Councils, Members of Parliament, all the provincial administrations and thirteen national government departments. For most of the South African participants this was their first exposure to population issues that affect the rest of the continent.
Thirty-three African countries were represented at the conference, as well as all the major international and African organisations that are active in the field of population and development. There is a need for us to assist the Union for African Population Studies to strengthen its membership and its activities in the Southern African region.
The National Population Unit will promote several projects to optimise the benefit of the conference for South Africa and the region. These include:
It has been an honour and privilege for the South African government to host this event. We have signalled our commitment to sustainable solutions for Africa's population challenges. African population experts have signalled their willingness to come together and exchange experiences, expertise and knowledge on how best to achieve such solutions.
Issued by: Dr ZST Skweyiya
Minister for Welfare, Population and Development