Population Growth as a Threat to Security in Africa: Myth or Underestimated Risk Factor?

In 2019, half of the twenty most populous countries in the world were affected by intrastate violent conflicts or unrest. Population growth due to high birth rates or migration can in certain contexts intensify conflicts around resources or ethnic identity and contribute to political instability.

Primarily in African countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Mali, people are suffering in the face of these intrastate conflicts, which can – at least in part – be traced back to demographic developments. Nevertheless, a comparison on the international level demonstrates that population growth does not necessarily entail an internal or external security threat.

The experts at this GIGA Forum will delve into the question of whether the rising populations of African countries represent a security threat (whether internal or external), or whether this idea should be relegated to the realm of myth.

Panel: Stefan aus dem Siepen works on cross-regional topics in the directorate-general for the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America of the Federal Foreign Office.

Dr. Charlotte Heyl is Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute for African Affairs.

Catherina Hinz is Managing Director of the Berlin Institute for Population and Development.

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Eckart Woertz is Director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies.

Population dynamics are an important aspect in various research questions that the GIGA analyses across regions. More about this here.