ALLI joins a high level SDG delegation with the South African Presidency to Germany

11 September 2024

ALLI STAFF PARTICIPATED ON A LEARNING JOURNEY TO GERMANY

From August 26 to 30, 2024, Prof. Derick de Jongh, Dr. Dominique Mystris, and Dr. Stanley Ntakumba from the Albert Luthuli Leadership Institute (ALLI) participated in a Learning Journey to Germany. This event was organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which coordinates the Multi-Stakeholder Partnership (MSP) known as the Sustainable Development Goals Initiative (SDGI) in South Africa.

The SDGI partnership includes several key stakeholders: the Presidency (Policy and Research Services Branch), African Monitor Trust (a civil society organization), Stellenbosch University's Policy Innovation Lab, and the University of Pretoria's ALLI. As part of our contribution to this initiative, ALLI runs the Policy Support Initiative (PSI) and the SDG Hub. These platforms aim to bridge the gap between academic research and policy transformation. The PSI secretariat plays a crucial role by serving as a central mechanism to process policy questions from the government by identifying and appointing suitable academic experts from across the 26 South Africa’s public universities.

The primary objective of the Learning Journey was to gain insights from various German institutions regarding their approaches to implementing projects similar to those initiated by the SDGI. By examining these approaches, the team aimed to gather valuable lessons to enhance current SDGI projects and inform the planning for the initiative’s second phase, which is set to begin in October 2025.

The main highlight was our visit to the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), a renowned think tank based in Bonn, Germany. Founded in 1964, IDOS operates as an independent organization dedicated to postgraduate training, research, and providing policy advice to the German Government. Our visit was hosted by Dr. Sven Grimm, who leads the Research Program on Inter- and Transnational Cooperation and is an Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

The experience at IDOS exemplifies the 'gold standard' for supporting evidence-based policy transformation. IDOS’s approach integrates rigorous research methodologies with high-level expertise to influence policy. Their research and advisory services span a wide array of topics related to development and sustainable futures, including social, economic, geopolitical, and climate change issues. They produce a diverse range of knowledge products, which are published online, and engage with decision-makers both locally within Germany and internationally within the European Union and other multilateral forums.

From our visit, we gleaned several key lessons related to the Policy Support Initiative (PSI):

• Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policy-Making: We learned that bridging the gap between academic research and policymaking is a complex challenge. It requires the involvement of multidisciplinary teams, active stakeholder engagement, and negotiations. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that some policy questions may not have clear answers through scholarly research alone.
• Investment in Skills and Networks: IDOS's success highlights the importance of investing in skills and building robust networks. With approximately 170 experts and strong global partnerships with universities and think tanks, IDOS exemplifies how these investments contribute to quality assurance and career recognition within the academic community.
• Publication and Confidentiality: Publishing research and advisory notes is crucial for maintaining transparency and credibility. However, it is equally important to respect the confidentiality of political clients. This balance is vital for maintaining trust and ensuring the integrity of the policy advice provided.

Given that the PSI is a relational initiative rather than an institutional one, we believe that we could leverage the lessons learned from IDOS to enhance capacity-building efforts in South Africa. This involves engaging robustly with academic institutions, science councils like the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), and civil society think tanks to develop a tailored, effective mechanism for evidence-based policy transformation in the long term.

We were received by Mr. Matthias Rompel (and team), the GIZ Regional Director for Southern Africa. He shared valuable insights into GIZ’s implementation of advisory services on behalf of the German government, providing a comprehensive overview of GIZ’s global operations and its specific portfolio in Southern Africa. Despite acknowledging the fiscal constraints faced by Germany, Mr. Rompel expressed confidence that Southern Africa remains a priority destination for development support. He also affirmed that the work of the SDGI is aligned with GIZ’s priorities, leading to the initiation of the program review process in preparation for the SDGI’s second phase. We learned that South Africa is highly esteemed as a 'global partner' by GIZ, reflecting its significant role in the G20. Thus, ensuring the effectiveness of this partnership in achieving the SDGI goals is paramount.

We also participated in a stimulating workshop on Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships (MSPs) led by Mr. Klaus Baesel from the Competence Centre for Change Management. This workshop provided deep reflections on our own partnership, the SDGI, and highlighted good practices and critical success factors for MSPs that are pertinent to any development partnership.

We also met with Mr. René Franke (and team), a Senior Policy Advisor to our main donor, BMZ. This meeting was crucial for reassuring us about the continuation of funding despite Germany’s fiscal challenges. The discussion delved into GIZ’s perspectives on inequality and its intersectionality, with a strong belief that the SDGI represents a positive step forward and should advance to its second phase in 2025.

At BMZ we were further hosted by Dr. Iliya Nickelt (and team), Chief Data Scientist. The focus of the working session was on the use of digital tools for policy transformation and improving organizational systems and processes. Additionally, our partner, the Policy Innovation Lab at Stellenbosch University, presented their new project on service delivery monitoring using citizen data and Large Language Models.

The key takeaway from this session was that digital transformation is a significant enabler for evidence-based policy transformation and sustainable futures. However, there are concerns about the disruptive nature of Artificial Intelligence and issues related to data integrity and security. Governments face a paradox in balancing rapid digital innovation with the need for established controls to manage risks.

We met Dr. Roos (and team), Subdivision Manager for the Research Service. The detailed presentation covered the main themes, knowledge products, and the structures and processes through which the service provides policy advice to parliamentarians. We identified numerous lessons that could strengthen our Policy Support Initiative model. The Research Service is well-resourced, with 70 experts leading various thematic research areas.

We also visited the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), where Dr. Marc-Oliver Pahl (and team), Secretary General of the RNE, hosted us. The council operates similarly to South Africa’s National Planning Commission. A key lesson from this visit was RNE’s success in building strong partnerships with various stakeholders across Germany’s economy, including business, labor, civil society, academia, and policymakers. RNE’s approach involves developing research products and codified engagement processes for each stakeholder sector.

We had the privilege of meeting with the South African Ambassador to Germany, H.E. Phumelele Stone Sizani. The engaging meeting provided an opportunity for the Ambassador to understand how the SDGs are being implemented in South Africa and explore ways to support the SDGI at a political level. It became evident that substantial work remains in the area of SDG implementation and that leveraging academic evidence and expertise is crucial to support this process.