Using the SDGs as a compass for the Belgian development cooperation

The Belgian development cooperation administration (DGD) is committed to contributing to the realization of Agenda 2030. In essence, DGD wants to use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a compass to guide her future development efforts. However, this ambition is accompanied by a number of important challenges and questions. As to guide the Belgian government in her ambitions to improve the relevance and performance of the Belgian development cooperation with regard to the SDG framework, DGD has assigned a long-term Policy Supporting Research (PSR) to the Research Institute for Labour and Society (HIVA - KULeuven) and the Institute of Development Policy (IOB – University of Antwerp). Both institutes have extensive experience with development cooperation and policy-oriented research. The study is financed through the Flemish Inter-University Council (VLIR-UOS), with the support of the Belgian ministry of Foreign Affairs. The one year study includes (1) a  scoping exercise among different Belgian development actors, exploring the state of play of SDG-integration in Belgium; (2) field work in two case study countries, Benin and Uganda, to explore the reality of SDG integration on the ground; and (3) the development of a conceptual framework that provides practical recommendations and pointers on how different development actors can strengthen SDG integration within their respective policies and programmes.