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U.S. Department of State
Convenes Summit on Global Aging in Washington,DC
On March
15, 2007 the Department of State convened a Summit
on Global Aging in Washington, DC. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice delivered the keynote address
to the Summit and Department of Health and Human
Services Secretary Michael Leavitt gave opening
remarks. Led by Under Secretary of State for
Democracy and Global Affairs, Paula J. Dobriansky,
the Summit include distinguished experts from
government, including Assistant Secretary for Aging
Josefina G. Carbonell, as well as universities and
the private sector as panelists.
In many parts of the world, people are living longer and healthier
lives. For the first time in history, people 65
years old and over will soon outnumber children
under age 5. But the added years of life, a crowning
achievement of the 20th century, also pose
significant challenges. As the world's population
ages, the prevalence of chronic disease increases.
Insurance, pensions, and other social support
systems are strained. Many governments, both in the
developed and developing worlds, are beginning to
recognize that global aging can affect economic
growth, labor force, trade, migration, international
relations, and national security.
International cooperation will help countries plan
and better address our common concern for the issues
related to worldwide aging. By convening the Summit
on Global Aging, the United States wishes to
catalyze greater international dialogue and
encourage coordinated international studies about
the health, economic, social, and security
implications of this important issue.
A State Department Fact Sheet is available at
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2007/80940.htm
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2007/80940.htm>
.
Additional
information on the global aging issue is available
in the report issued jointly by the Department of
State and the Department of Health and Human
Services, National Institutes of Health, National
Institute on Aging: Why Population Aging Matters: A
Global Perspective. The Report is also available at
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/or/81537.htm
http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/or/81537.htm> .
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