TOKYO, 28 October 2025 – As countries across Asia and the Pacific experience rapid demographic transitions, population ageing is emerging as one of the defining challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. By 2050, one in four people in the region will be over the age of 60, with significant implications for labour markets, health systems, and social protection. Recognizing the urgent need for evidence-based and forward-looking responses, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) have joined hands to strengthen regional cooperation on population and development, with a focus on ageing and inclusive growth.

To advance this shared vision, UNFPA and ERIA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance collaboration in promoting inclusive and sustainable development across Southeast and East Asia. The partnership will combine UNFPA’s demographic expertise on rights-based approaches with ERIA’s economic research to inform policymaking, strengthen data systems, and foster intergenerational equity across the region.

Under the MOU, the two organizations will work together to:

• Support evidence-based policymaking by integrating demographic and economic perspectives in national and regional policy dialogue.
   
• Promote regional cooperation on population and development in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
   
• Enhance data and knowledge sharing through joint research, technical assistance, and high-level policy forums.
   
• Build capacity among ASEAN Member States through training, workshops, and policy support.
   
• Promote inclusive policies that address the needs of women, youth, older persons, and other vulnerable populations, in line with the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action.

Through this collaboration, UNFPA and ERIA will also support efforts to design policies that enable people to age with dignity, maintain good health, and continue contributing to social and economic development throughout their lives. This shared commitment places population ageing at the heart of sustainable development agendas in Asia and the Pacific – ensuring that countries are equipped to turn demographic change into an opportunity for inclusive, resilient, and equitable growth for all generations.