By Ikenna Asomba
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), has announced that the governments of Senegal and France will co-host its financing conference, billed for February 8, 2018 in Dakar, Senegal.
The announcement of the co-hosting was made by Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal and Emmanuel Macron of France at a high-level event on education financing held at the United Nations, which was attended by Secretary General António Guterres, several heads of state and leaders on global education, says a press statement signed by GPE Media contact, Alexandra Humme.
GPE’s financing conference seeks to raise US$3.1 billion for 2018 through 2020 to support the education of 870 million children in 89 developing countries that are home to 78 per cent of the world’s out-of-school population.
Currently, 264 million children and youth around the world are not in school and six out of ten children and youth, a total of 617 million, are in school but not learning at the level they need to break the bonds of poverty, poor health and social disadvantage.
“The Global Partnership for Education has made substantial investments in education helping to get 72 million more children into primary school since 2002, including in Senegal,” President Macky Sall said, noting that “We are honored to host the next GPE Financing Conference in Dakar and look forward to continuing our close partnership with GPE. This is the first time a donor and developing country co-host a GPE financing conference, symbolizing the spirit of true partnership, which is the essence of GPE. ”
President Macron of France who stressed that one of his top priorities is to invest in education, said, “I call on the international community to join us in February 2018 in Dakar for the Global Partnership for Education Financing Conference, which France will co-host with Senegal.”
The financing conference of the Global Partnership for Education is an opportunity for a much needed step change, allowing donors and developing countries to show their financial commitment to education,” said Julia Gillard, GPE Board Chair.
According to Gillard, “Senegal and France jointly hosting the GPE financing conference demonstrates the determination of both governments to help GPE expand its support for strong and sustainable education systems in developing countries.”
The event in Dakar will bring together donor and developing country governments, the private sector, philanthropic foundations, civil society and international organizations to announce commitments to support education in developing countries.
“This is an exciting and pivotal moment for GPE and for global education,” said Alice Albright, GPE Chief Executive Officer.
“This financing conference will put GPE on track to become a US$2 billion-a-year operation by 2020. At that level, GPE can have a far greater impact on providing better quality education to the world’s children,” added Albright.
GPE’s financing conference seeks to raise US$3.1 billion for 2018 through 2020 to support the education of 870 million children in 89 developing countries that are home to 78 per cent of the world’s out-of-school population.
Currently, 264 million children and youth around the world are not in school and six out of ten children and youth, a total of 617 million, are in school but not learning at the level they need to break the bonds of poverty, poor health and social disadvantage.
Though the share of overseas development aid to education has declined over the last six years, leaders around the world are now recognizing the urgency of turning that trend around.
France has been a donor to GPE since 2005. With GPE support since 2006, Senegal has shown great progress raising its investment in education as a share of domestic spending to 24 percent.
“Both France and Senegal are ideally positioned to urge other countries across the globe to increase investments in education,” Ms. Gillard added, stating that “We believe that will make for a successful and productive financing conference and ultimately benefit hundreds of millions of children in some of the poorest countries around the world.”
