This paper will discuss how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be developed into a "learning policy" for development in African countries. There is a great need to develop national policies to implement the global goals. The goals themselves are merely a framework, stating the desired ends, not the means for achieving them. The SDGs were the outcome of a remarkable global agreement. They are also remarkable for not addressing questions of implementation. The global framework includes only the collection of certain statistics, as well as voluntary yearly reports to the High Level Political Forum of the UN.
The paper discusses how implementation strategies can be designed nationally. A key is for governments to learn from experience, i.e. to collect information on what works. An experimentalist mindset can over time supply the needed knowledge to make judgements on policy instruments. This is especially important where foreign donors try to have an impact on national policy choices. In order to learn, however, hypotheses on drivers and barriers must be articulated and tested over time. The key is what is known as a "logical framework", "program theory" or "theory of change", where causal relationships are articulated. Hence, there is a need for follow-up and evaluation of policies.
The learning by governments can take advantage of ongoing research on relevant topics. The hypotheses underneath government policies can be related to hypotheses from social science research. One source are the abstract theories about general drivers for development. The field of International Political Economy (IPE) identifies liberalism, nationalism and Marxism as general frameworks. These are hypotheses on the role of markets, states and radical systemic change. At a high level of abstraction, they can provide a "policy space" where alternatives can be discussed.
Another source are the empirical theories about the very fundamental issues which are implied by the SDGs, such as the promotion of sustainable development, economic growth, state-building and support for social tolerance. The field of Comparative Politics is generally trying to find causal drivers for development, implying advice on where to begin. These theories can be used to place the contents of the SDGs in the context of a "program theory" for development.
The major debate at the moment is about the role of "good governance", whether it is necessary for development in general or if it in fact is an outcome of development. This is especially relevant to understand the role of SDG number 16 which addresses issues of governance.