Event held for the first time in West Africa strengthens South-South cooperation and explores the art and science behind evidence-informed public policy

From September 30 to October 2, Veredas’ Executive Director, Ingrid Abdala, and Laura Boeira, Head of Partnerships and Networks at the Institute and Director of Hub LAC, took part in Evidence 2025 — the leading African conference on the use of evidence in public policymaking.

The event, held in Cotonou (Benin), was a joint initiative by the African Center for Equitable Development (Aced) and the Africa Evidence Network (AEN). It marked a milestone as the first edition hosted in West Africa, aiming to create a space for dynamic exchange, mutual learning, and co-creation of evidence-informed actions across the African continent and beyond.

Under the theme “Engage, Understand, Impact”, Evidence 2025 brought together around 200 policymakers, researchers, professionals, and civil society representatives to foster collaboration and evidence-informed decision-making across Africa.

Hub LAC Experience: Mapping Actors in Evidence-Informed Policymaking Across Latin America and the Caribbean

Representing Hub LAC, Ingrid Abdala joined the panel “HubLAC Mapping: Building a Living Knowledge Base to Strengthen Evidence-Informed Policymaking in Latin America and the Caribbean” to share learnings and some preliminary results from the Hub LAC Mapping 2025.

The initiative aims to map individuals and organizations that are part of the Evidence-Informed Policy (EIP) ecosystem in the region. This mapping is the first step in a broader research effort that will culminate in a report to be released at the end of this year. Its goal is to better understand who is promoting the use of evidence in policymaking, as well as to strengthen and update the Hub LAC’s collaboration network.

Ingrid highlighted the diverse and hands-on event program, which included discussions on leadership, evidence governance, mentoring, and sessions dedicated exclusively to training.

“It was a very special and timely moment to present our results, especially because we were in Benin, a Francophone country. People were very interested in the data and in what we are building, which created a very positive connection. From that exchange came the opportunity to share our materials so that, once translated, they can carry out a similar mapping in their region. This experience was not only enriching but also important for the Hub, since French is still an area we need to strengthen. As we don’t yet have the form available in that language, thinking about translating it could open new opportunities for collaboration with Francophone countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, expanding the reach of the mapping.”

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Evidence Week 2025

Next week, from October 13 to 17, the Semana de la Evidencia – Evidence Week 2025 – will take place — a decentralized platform featuring a wide range of events focused on strengthening Evidence-Informed Policies through experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Under the theme “Evidence-Informed Policies in Motion: Listening, Innovating, and Transforming”, Evidence Week 2025 offers a diverse and collaborative space to share experiences, generate learnings, and discuss the role of evidence in decision-making in a world shaped by misinformation, multiple crises, and technological transformation.

On October 15, we will officially launch the Hub LAC Mapping. Inspired by PACE and EVIPNet, the initiative seeks to provide a clearer picture of the actors, their capacities, and existing gaps — as well as to promote collaboration opportunities, resource mobilization, and a more inclusive use of evidence in public policy.

📌 Simultaneous translation will be available.

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Register here