Lusaka – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will host a regional meeting of Think Tanks and National Planning Entities from 10 to 12 September 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia. The gathering will take place at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel.
According to the SADC Secretariat, the meeting is designed to strengthen evidence-based decision-making and deepen regional integration. Delegates from the 16 member states, including Eswatini, are expected to take part in discussions that link research with policymaking while aligning national plans with SADC’s Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020–2030 and Vision 2050.
The three-day meeting will focus on dialogue between national planners and regional research institutions, coordination of development strategies, and the creation of platforms for collaboration. Organisers have confirmed that two new platforms will be launched during the meeting, namely the Southern African Network of Think Tanks and the SADC National Planning Entities Community of Practice Portal.
Other expected outcomes include the development of a joint research agenda that reflects SADC’s priorities and stronger connections with the African Union Think Tank Platform.
SADC, which transformed into its current form in 1992, is made up of 16 countries: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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