A global population policy to advance human development in the twenty-first century, with particular reference to Sub-Saharan Africa

This speech by Robert McNamara, President of the World Bank, was written for the meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Global Coalition for Africa in Kampala, Uganda from May 8-9, 1992. In September 1968, Mr. McNamara was speaking to the Finance Ministers of the world at the annual meeting of the Bank and International Monetary Fund. He stated " the rapid growth of population is one of the greatest barriers to economic growth and social well-being of [the people of] our member states."' That was his view in 1968 and it is his view today. In the intervening 23 years, the world's population has grown faster than ever before, from 3.4 billion to 5.4 billion, an increase of over 60 percent. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has grown over 100 percent from 264 million to 548 million. Growth rates for both the world and the region are still extraordinarily high. If the fertility rates continue their present decline, three billion people will be added to global population over the next thirty years. During the same period, after taking account of AIDS, about which author will have more to say later, SSA's population will increase by approximately 600 million. Is this a cause for concern? For many, the answer is not immediately clear. In spite of the increase of 2 billion people in the past quarter century, during the same period of time there have been remarkable advances in economic and social welfare in most of the developing countries where 80 percent of the world's population lives. Mr. McNamara will argue that it is; that the interests of both developing and developed countries-particularly the interests of women and children in the developing world-demand immediate action to accelerate the reduction in population growth rates; that there is clear evidence this is possible; and that the action can be undertaken within acceptable expenditure limits.

osc 31/05/2019

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