OPEN REPOSITORIES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: BRIDGING THE INFORMATION GAP MPUNDU CHILONGA KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY - ZAMBIA 1. Introduction SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 5. Notable Open Repositories  This is an exploratory study of the important role which Open Repositories in Zambia can play to support The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  The aim of the SDGs to address the most pressing global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, education, health, and peace and justice.  They require a collaborative and collective action from governments, civil society, private sector, academia, and individuals worldwide.to ensure that no one is left behind in the pursuit of development.  By aligning policies, investments, and actions with the SDGs, we can strive towards a more sustainable and resilient future for present and future generations. 2  In Zambia, Open Repositories are relatively a new phenomenon, and only a limited number of them are found, particularly in Public Universities. ORs Specifically designed to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):  Climate Data Store (CDS): https://cds.climate.copernicus.eu/  Data.gov: Website: https://www.data.gov/  Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN): https://www.godan.info/  OpenSDG: https://open-sdg.org/  SDG Knowledge Hub: https://sdg.iisd.org/  SDG Tracker: https://sdg-tracker.org/  UN Data: http://data.un.org/ 6. Benefits of Open Repositories for SDGs The benefits of open repositories in supporting global efforts towards sustainable development: • Accessibility and Open Access, • Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration, • Data Sharing and Transparency, • Reproducibility and Rigor, • Capacity Building and Learning, • Innovation and Collaboration Beyond Boundaries, • Global Knowledge Exchange, • Monitoring and evaluation 3. Open Repositories and Achieving the SDGs Contributions of open repositories to the achievement of the SDGs:  Accessible Knowledge: Making relevant knowledge easily accessible to stakeholders.  Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration: Fostering a culture of collaboration and cross-sectoral sharing.  Capacity Building and Learning: Providing resources for acquiring skills and knowledge.  Evidence-Based Decision-Making: Supporting policy-makers with reliable and up-to-date information.  Innovation and Technology Transfer: Promoting the sharing of innovative solutions.  Monitoring and Evaluation: Providing a transparent platform for tracking progress. 2. Importance of Open Repositories 7. Challenges and Future Directions The key aspects of open repositories in supporting the SDGs:  Collaboration: Bringing diverse stakeholders together to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.  Data Sharing: Facilitating the sharing of research data, reports, and relevant datasets.  Open Access to Information: Providing free and open access to SDG-related resources.  Knowledge Dissemination: Acting as a centralised hub for collecting, organizing, and disseminating knowledge.  Capacity Building: Offering learning resources and training materials for SDG- related skills development.  Monitoring and Evaluation: Supporting progress tracking and data-informed decision-making. The challenges faced by Zambian ORs that may hinder future directions for their development include:  Data Quality and Standardisation,  Data Privacy and Ethics  Capacity Building and Awareness  Interoperability and Integration with Existing Systems,  User Engagement and Collaboration,  Sustainability and Long-term Support. 4. Key Features of Open Repositories for SDGs The essential features that open repositories should possess to effectively support the SDGs:  Open Licensing, Metadata Standards, Version Control, Search Functionalities, Interoperability, User Engagement, Data Management Tools, Accessibility and Usabil