What happens when government, academia, and civil society collaborate for four years?
The answer is the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative (SDGi). A partnership that has built a strong foundation for strengthening evidence-informed and coherent policies in South Africa.
On 24 October 2025, SDGi held its Transition Event, marking the formal closure of the first phase (2021-2025) of the project, and the launch of its second phase (2025-2028).
Joined by members of the diplomatic corps, government officials, and researchers, the SDGi family, reflected on the evolution, achievements and lessons from its journey in strengthening the science-policy interface to advance South Africa’s National Development Plan, the 2030 Agenda, and Agenda 2063.
3 key reflections stood out from the event:
- SDGi represents an innovative approach in bridging academia with the policy space; two different worlds, each with its own mandate, rules, and sphere of influence.
- Through policy dialogues and webinars, different perspectives were brought together, which also helped to shape different evidence products, designed to inform policy-making.
- Citizen-generated data continues to serve as an important instrument in understanding peoples lived experiences, especially the previously disadvantaged.
As SDGi transitions to its second phase, the mission remains clear: to keep evidence at the centre of policy-making and to turn partnerships into lasting impact for South Africa’s development agenda.
For more insights from SDGi, have a look at our latest publication: https://sdgi.org.za/wp-content/uploads/A-South-Africa-Guided-by-Evidence-Based-Policy-Making.pdf