The five-day 9th African Population Conference which Malawi will host from May 20-24 at Bingu International Convention Center (BICC) in Lilongwe will attract over 600 international delegates including prime minister of Iceland.

The conference which is organized by the Union for African Population Studies (UAPS), is aimed at examining the state of knowledge gaps regarding various population and development issues facing the African continent.

Speaking at a media briefing in Blantyre on Saturday, Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola Banda said the conference which Malawi is hosting for the first time, has come at a time when African countries including Malawi, are facing numerous population challenges hence the event will provide a platform for experts in science and population to share ideas on population dynamics.

“There is a symbolic link between population and economic development because as a ministry we need to have well researched demographic data in order to plan well in all the development activities,” he said.

Banda added that the event will give a platform for young researchers from local and international higher learning institutions to share knowledge and information about population and development issues.

Minister of Information, Moses Kunkuyu, said the conference will also assist in boosting the country’s tourism sector through the delegates who are coming.

Kunkuyu has further confirmed that the state president Lazarus Chakwera will preside over the opening ceremony.

Some of the participants from Malawi will include young researchers from high learning institutions, government institutions and civil society organisations.

The conference will be held under a theme: Road to 2030: Leveraging Africa’s Human Capital in World of Uncertainty.