PROF SHUAIB LWASA (ISS, THE HAGUE)

DR OMOAYENA ODUMBAKU (UN-HABITAT REGIONAL OFFICE FOR AFRICA)

CONVENORS: DR SAMSON OLANREWAJU & DR HARUNA JIMOH

One of the most important areas for policy and research in the twenty-first century is sustainable development (Brandon and Lombardi, 2005). The complexity and inter-related nature of the SDG targets require an evaluation which should take into account the linkages and potential trade-offs between targets and goals. Evaluation, therefore, plays an important role in processes of learning and mutual accountability and can be used to generate evidence on what works and to assess progress in SDG implementation (OECD, 2023). The evidence generated through evaluation can contribute to strategies to operationalize the SDGs and to inform policy and management decisions.

To this end that the WITS-TUB-UNILAG Urban Lab is organizing a webinar to discuss the operationalization of SDGs in Africa and the methodologies and approaches for evaluation by researchers and practitioners. With a focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, emphasis will be placed on the frameworks for domesticating the SDGs in Africa and catalyzing action. The webinar seeks to answer the following questions:

• What is the current state of SDG research in Africa?
• How have policy directions influenced SDG implementation?
• What efforts have been made to promote Inclusion and diversity in SDG implementation in Africa?
• How involved are local actors and communities in the implementation of SDGs?
• Going forward, what are the opportunities that can be leveraged for SDG studies and implementation?