In a bid to identify sustainable development solutions for empowerment in Africa, including internship for its students, a joint team of researchers from the Development Practice Programme at the Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, visited the West and Central Africa Regional Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dakar, Senegal.

Head of the UNFPA office, Dr Laurent Assogba, who doubles as Policy and Data for Development Adviser, in his response spotted gaps in data for policy implementation on sustainable development solutions in Africa. He solicited institutional partnership in the area of research such as Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), to aid provision of reliable data for drawing up policies at country and regional levels.

On the issue of internship, he noted: “Accepting interns is dependent on the volume of jobs and responsibilities per time at various regions/offices.” He enjoined Dr Olawale Olayide, head of the research team and Coordinator/Sub-Dean, Centre for Sustainable Development, to come up with partnership scheme that can collaborate with UNFPA programmes beamed on research and academics at the University of Ibadan Centre.

The meeting was scheduled by Prof Olanrewaju Olaniyan, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development, on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abel Olayinka. Dr Olayide thanked Dr Assogba for a warm reception and firm orientation on UNFPA’s activities and its milestones in Africa.

The Data and Policy Adviser noted that the UNFPA, as an international development agency, promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. “The organisation also supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect,” he said.

Olayide also announced that the 7th Annual Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit has been scheduled for August 21 – 26. He reinstated the Centre`s willingness to work with UNFPA, even as he described the meeting as “a nascent partnership for sustainable development solutions in Africa.”

•Photo by Nelson Obine shows Dr Olaide of UI CESDEV (left) and Dr Assogba.

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