Statement of H.E DR. Salim A. Salim, OAU Secretary General: at the opening ceremony of the inaugural meeting of the OAU population commission

Abstract

Statement of H. E. Dr. Salim A. Salim, OAU secretary General, at the opening ceremony of the inaugural meeting of the OAU population commission. Dr. Salim, on his remarks highlighted that, the establishment of this Commission is long overdue. Africa should have established a population commission long ago, as have other regions of the world. The African demographic data provide the reason for the recent interest of African countries in the field of population. A major phenomenon of the African population is its rapid growth in this century. The problem of population is not simply a problem of numbers. It is a problem of human welfare and of development. Rapid population growth can have serious consequences for the well-being of humanity worldwide. Africa's socio-economic problems are complex and defy simple solutions. Addressing rapid population growth will not be a panacea for all of Africa's problems.