Alignment mechanisms for cross-level and cross-sector governance of SDG interactions in East Africa

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intended to be implemented in an indivisible manner, underlining the importance of and interdependencies between different SDG-relevant policy areas. The complexity of synergies and trade-offs that are inherent to SDG interactions, particularly in East-African countries where international development actors are prominent actors, imply that no development actor can single-handedly ensure the integrated implementation of sustainable development’s economic, environmental and social dimensions. To advance integrated development processes, we therefore seek to answer the following question: what governance mechanisms enable development actors, located in different sectors, in different jurisdictions and at different governance levels, to align their efforts for achieving the SDGs? Drawing on public governance and international development literature we identify ten alignment mechanisms that can be used to create inter-departmental alignment, public-private alignment, donor-recipient alignment and inter-donor alignment. To understand how the different mechanisms manifest themselves in practice, we illustrate how these mechanisms are used to create synergies and negotiate trade-offs in forest and landscape restoration governance in Ethiopia. We conclude with provide insights on how the ten mechanisms can contribute to greater cross-sector and cross-level alignment at different stages of the policy cycle.