Elderly Population to Outnumber Young By 2050: PM
Prime Minister Hun Manet spoke on April 9 at the work review and outlook of the Ministry of Planning. Photo: Prime Minister Hun Manet Facebook
- By Meng Seavmey
- April 10, 2024 10:50 AM
PHNOM PENH – The elderly population will outnumber the young by 2050, with the economic burden ratio of 48 per 100 people, Prime Minister Hun Manet says.
Based on projections from a population survey in 2019, Cambodia will have 15.5 percent of its people under 15 years old, 67.5 percent aged 15 to 64 and 17.1 percent over 65.
However, it is not a challenge now and there would not be a lack of workforce after 2050, Hun Manet said on April 9 at the work review and outlook of the Ministry of Planning.
Cambodia will still have a large working population by 2050. Meanwhile, the country will still have a light economic burden.
“But the important thing is to train young people with skills to take maximum advantage of the demographic and gender dividends,” Hun Manet said.
He encouraged couples with resources to have more children.
The labor force remains small but there was still so much potential, the PM said. However, if the young population decreases, the country might face a workforce shortage in the future.
Hun Manet has spoken before about encouraging people to have more children which would help balance the aging population and birth rate.
The Ministry of Planning facilitates the planning process of national development strategies, public investment plans, poor and vulnerable household identification, nutrition promotion, and national data management and organization.
The PM called on the ministry to review demographic trends and changes in age structure, and scenarios of social support mechanisms for youth and families, when updating the National Population Policy 2016-2030.
