23 September 2018: The Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa is adding a sub-regional center of excellence to support countries in the Southern African region in achieving the SDGs and the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063. The center will be located in Lusaka, Zambia, with the Government of Zambia providing facilities and services.

Following a resolution by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Leadership Council, African leaders established the SDGC/A in July 2016 to support SDG implementation in line with Agenda 2063. The SDGC/A is based in Kigali, Rwanda, and works to create partnerships across the SDGs to ensure their effective implementation across Africa. In early 2018 SDGC/A agreed with the Government of Liberia to establish a West African sub-regional center to support SDG implementation in the Mano River Union countries and members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Government of Zambia and SDGC/A signed the agreement on establishing the Southern African center on 23 September 2018. The center is expected to work with governments and other stakeholders to determine the region’s priorities and facilitate engagement on and implementation of the SDGs in line with those priorities. The center will operate under the oversight of the SDGC/A headquarters in Rwanda.

Zambia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Malanji, who signed the agreement, observed that although Zambia is a landlocked country, it is also “land linked.” he said the Host Country Agreement embodies the Government of Zambia’s aspirations to “boost the SDGs agenda on the continent.” [SDGC/A website] [SDG Knowledge Hub story on establishment of West African center] [SDG Knowledge Hub story on SDGC/A consultation on SDG Index and Dashboard] [SDGC/A press release]