The third national seminar of ODI's new Civil Society Partnership Programme's (CSPP) Regional Consultation in Southern Africa was held in Lusaka, Zambia, on the 17th February 2005, in collaboration with the Institute of Economic and Social Research, University of Zambia. The seminar provided a forum for representatives from policy research institutes and non-governmental agencies to discuss the opportunities and challenges for CSOs to use evidence to inform policy, learn about the latest worldwide research and practice in this area, share experiences about ongoing activities and identify opportunities for collaborative work.