The international development strategy beyond 2015: taking demographic dynamics into account

Demographic dynamics have strong repercussions for development and need to be addressed in the defi nition of the global development strategy for post 2015. Despite divergent trends across countries, international migration off ers no defi nitive solution. A comprehensive approach is needed. Countries with declining and ageing workforces need to sustain or raise productivity. Countries with growing labour forces need to embark in growth patterns that are labour intensive, off er possibilities for dynamic structural change and productivity increases. Both cases require investments in education, skill formation and upgrading. Th e impact of population ageing on economic variables is nuanced but should not be ignored.