Secret to Pacific growth in its growing working age population

Transcript

A new report on demographics and human development in the Pacific says the region has a unique opportunity to accelerate growth by investing in its youth.

The UN Development Programme report says most Asia - Pacific countries now have more working-aged people and fewer dependents than at any point in history.

The UNDP Resident Representative for the Pacific Osnat Lubrani spoke with Koroi Hawkins about the report.

OSNAT LUBRANI: What the opportunity is for the Pacific is that if you integrate demographics into your planning then there is a great opportunity for really having this shift really become  a driver for economic development because when you have more people who are of working age that is the opportunity where you can have more taxes more savings and really getting the countries richer. If you miss that opportunity the risk is that the countries will become old before they become rich. So that is basically where it is important to integrate that policy thinking and investments into development planning beyond the electoral cycle it has to be longer term thinking.

KOROI HAWKINS: The Pacific hasn't always been the best at implementing long term policies. Do you think they have the ability to act on the recommendations of this report?

OL: I think there are lots of opportunities to focus on their implementation. I can already share with you that countries are very engaged now in 2016 and very eager to move forward. I also want to say it is interesting what happened last year is that there was a lot of focus not just in terms of the adoption of the sustainable development goals but also the conclusions from the financing for development agenda that really, tries to really not just talk about what you need to do but also on how are you going to fund it. How do you need to put that planning into place and not just look at development aid but at domestic resources at private sector and more partnerships.

KH: Now the report looks at some common policies that can be applied for different demographics within countries. You mentioned the Pacific as a region having more of a younger population. What are the recommendations for leaders and policy makers?

OL: Well the recommendations are really to pay attention to education including pre-school education and the quality of education so that you can have smoother transition from school to work. Really focus a lot on encouraging youth and creating more jobs and better jobs and livelihoods. Very important to focus through all policies on women's equal participation also it mentions the need to channel more savings into productive investments not just consumption. Looking at adjusting national pension systems those are the kind of things that are mentioned. And I want to also perhaps mention that in countries with larger shares of children and youth when that in the case of the Pacific includes Kiribati Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. Then again the investment in child survival in education and also the focus on sexual and reproductive health rights so giving their families the ability to choose and spacing the number of children. The report also makes reference to migration that can be a win win for if the migration is to countries with an ageing population from countries that have larger populations and not enough jobs. So that is something that I think for some Pacific countries is again something to think about and again the investment in high quality education to prepare for such migration is also very important.

KH: Now what happens if countries are not able to act on the recommendations?

OL: I think if you look at some of the countries that are ageing particularly in other countries in Asia that have reached that transition point in areas where there is poverty then the burden on the working age population become very heavy. That in the Pacific is not the situation yet but it can happen if you don't plan and you don't invest appropriately.