certain budgets and programmes was being envis­ aged, the activities of UNFPA should be increased since, without such activities, many countries would not be able to proceed with their population pro­ grammes. UNFP A was poised to increase the scope of its activities, and egoism or indifference should not make that effort go to waste thus robbing humanity of assistance which was vital for its very stability and for the improvement of the standard of living of people everywhere. 16. The number of older people in the population would continue to increase in the years ahead. It was estimated that, in the year 2025, 14 per cent of the population of the underdeveloped countries and 23 per cent of the population of the developed countries would be over 60 years of age. Those demographic changes would be associated with a decline in fertility, which would reduce population growth and lead to a significant increase in the proportion of older people. His country strongly supported the participation of the United Nations system in the effort to resolve that problem, which would have economic, social and humanitarian consequences. It therefore welcomed the revision and expansion of the International Plan of Action on Aging. 22 17. Mr. HANTKE (Federal Republic of Germany) said that although the Secretary-General's report (E/1986/18-N41/179) had been useful since it de­ scribed the current structure of the United Nations system relating to the formulation and administra­ tion of population policies, it did not contain a thorough assessment of the performance of the various United Nations organs which dealt with population issues. It was, nevertheless, an initial step leading to the improved utilization of resources devoted to the population sector. 18. His delegation agreed with the conclusion ex­ pressed in paragraph 66 of the report, that no 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its role in addressing population issues, including aging and population growth. It highlights the importance of the organization's activities in supporting countries' population programs and the need for increased efforts to address the challenges posed by aging populations.

**Category**
Health, Humanitarian aid and relief