PM attends World Population Day 2024 celebration in Aden, highlighting global demographic challenges.

Aden, Yemen – Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak attended the celebration of World Population Day 2024 in Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen, on Sunday. The event was organized by the National Population Council under the theme “Harnessing the Power of Comprehensive Data for a Resilient and Fair Future for All.”

The ceremony began with a minute of silence, during which attendees paid tribute to the victims of the ongoing brutal aggression by the Zionist entity in the occupied Palestine by reading Al-Fatiha. In his speech, Prime Minister Bin Mubarak, who also serves as the head of the National Population Council, emphasized the importance of commemorating this day to take a comprehensive look at the challenges associated with balancing population growth and achieving sustainable development. He highlighted how demographic diversity and population factors can be strengths or weaknesses for a country, depending on its educational, economic, and health characteristics.

“Our vision in the government is that human resources are the most important asset we must utilize and improve through services and programs we plan to implement, despite significant challenges and financial and economic pressures,” said Bin Mubarak.

He pointed out that Yemen’s significant population growth requires national policies and strategies to balance this increase with development, posing major challenges for the government. These challenges include providing basic services, managing economic difficulties, optimally utilizing natural resources, reducing poverty and unemployment, creating job opportunities, and building infrastructure to meet population growth needs. He also mentioned the financial and economic pressures the government faces due to the ongoing war instigated by the Houthi militia and their deprivation of the Yemeni people from benefiting from their resources.

Dr. Bin Mubarak shed light on the demographic challenges, noting that 45% of the population is under 16 years old, 65% are of working age, and 50% of children suffer from chronic malnutrition, with 21% experiencing stunting. He warned about the severity of these figures and the need for serious engagement and prioritization in all plans and programs.

The Prime Minister also discussed issues related to displacement and the continuous influx of refugees into Yemen without adequate international support from organizations. He criticized the United Nations organizations’ uneven distribution of humanitarian programs based on data from 2004, despite significant changes due to war and unprecedented displacement. He reiterated the government’s commitment and responsibility to all Yemenis across the nation without discrimination or exception.

Bin Mubarak highlighted the government’s main focuses, including achieving peace, maintaining the state’s legal status, fighting corruption, enhancing accountability and transparency, financial and administrative reform, developing economic resources, and optimal use of foreign aid and grants. He emphasized the importance of addressing all difficulties that hinder the utilization of human resources and empowering youth in state institutions, ensuring equal opportunities in leadership and management, and fostering creativity and innovation.

The Prime Minister confirmed the government’s intention to adopt a balanced population policy aimed at creating a balance between population growth and sustainable development requirements. This includes promoting family planning awareness, providing educational and health services for all age groups, addressing economic issues, improving living conditions, encouraging investment in necessary infrastructure, and ensuring human rights and equality of opportunity between men and women, as well as enhancing women’s participation in decision-making.

In conclusion, Bin Mubarak urged the National Population Council and its General Secretariat to expedite the development of a balanced population policy that considers Yemen’s exceptional circumstances.

The event also featured speeches by the Secretary-General of the National Population Council, Dr. Nasser Al-Hamaiqani, and the representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Elizabeth Gigian, highlighting the significance of World Population Day in focusing attention on urgent population issues worldwide. They emphasized the importance of improving the collection and analysis of population data and its use in addressing population issues.

The ceremony included the launch of the National Population Council’s website, a report on the council’s activities, programs, and participation, as well as artistic and folkloric performances.

The event was attended by various ministers, including the Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Qasim Buhaibeh, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr. Mohammed Al-Zauri, the Minister of Local Administration Hussein Al-Aghbari, the Minister of Public Works and Roads Salem Al-Harizi, the Director of the Prime Minister’s Office Engineer Anis Baharitha, along with several deputies and representatives of international organizations.

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