9th OECD Roundtable on Cities and Regions for the SDGs

Co-organised by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Service Agency Communities in One World (SKEW) of Engagement Global, the 9th OECD Roundtable on Cities and Regions for the SDGs will bring together leaders and key stakeholders from cities, regions, national governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, philanthropy, and international organisations to accelerate progress towards the SDGs at the local and regional level.

Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Time: 9:00 – 18:00 (CEST)
Location: Berlin, Germany
Registration: Register here by 10 July 2026

Draft Agenda: Here

BACKGROUND

With less than four years left to the endpoint of the 2030 Agenda, only 17% of SDG targets are on track globally, and progress at the local level remains deeply uneven. Accelerating action where it matters most – at the local and regional level – requires stronger evidence, more effective partnerships and new sources of expertise.

This Roundtable will explore how decentralised development co-operation, city-to-city partnerships and collaboration with higher education institutions can drive progress towards the SDGs, bringing together leaders and key stakeholders from cities, regions, national governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, philanthropy and international organisations.

ON THE AGENDA

• The launch of a new OECD report, produced with the support of Germany, on how decentralised development co-operation strengthens local governance and SDG outcomes across OECD and partner countries
• First findings from the upcoming OECD/UN-Habitat Global Stocktake on SDG Localisation, including a new harmonised framework for measuring SDG progress in cities and regions and lessons from a decade of pioneering local action
• A discussion on how higher education institutions can become stronger partners in sustainable territorial development through education, research and innovation
• A reflection on the outcomes of the 2026 High-Level Political Forum and what they mean for local and regional action ahead

WHY ATTEND

The Roundtable will bring together leaders and key stakeholders from cities, regions, national governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, philanthropy and international organisations to:

• Unpack the impact of decentralised development co-operation on local governance and SDG outcomes in cities and regions across OECD and partner countries
• Assess a decade of SDG localisation efforts and discuss how the findings of the upcoming OECD/UN-Habitat Global Stocktake on SDG Localisation can help accelerate progress in the final years to 2030 and review the results of the 2026 High-Level Political Forum
• Explore the role of higher education institutions in helping cities and regions localise the SDGs
• Shape the future of the SDGs through a territorial perspective towards the SDG Summit and beyond

For more information, please contact:

Stefano Marta – Stefano.Marta@oecd.org
Lorenz Gross – Lorenz.Gross@oecd.org
Marcos Diaz Ramirez – Marcos.DiazRamirez@oecd.org