Sub-Saharan Africa has the youngest population in the world, with a growing number of young people entering working age. As more people are working an generating income, this presents a ripe opportunity to harness the Demographic Dividend.
In an interview with the Gates Institute, Mr. Abebe Aemro Selassie, the head of the African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), discussed the prospects of realizing the Demographic Dividend in Sub-Saharan Africa. The IMF is an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.; it consists of “189 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world,” according to its website. The African Department of IMF covers 45 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.