LUSAKA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has selected Zambia as one of the 60 pilot countries for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accelerator Labs, an initiative aimed at boosting the achievement of the SDGs, a UN official said Monday.

Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP director for the regional bureau for Africa, said this move was expected to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, according to a statement released Sunday.

She made the remarks when she met Zambia's Minister of National Development Planning Alexander Chiteme on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on the Emergency of Africa in Dakar, Senegal, saying Zambia was among the first countries to promote local content strategies for private sector development.

Eziakonwa further called for the need to grow local entrepreneurs into national champions, including creating an enabling environment for youth participation in private sector development.

She also assured Chiteme of her organization's continued support towards the country's development agenda.

Chiteme, on his part, called for continued collaboration between Zambia and the UNDP, adding that the country had mainstreamed about 86 percent of the SDGs in its national development plan.

According to him, Zambia needs strengthened capacity in the implementation of its national development plan and the SDGs, as well as in monitoring and reporting systems.

Chiteme further asked the UNDP to help Zambia in the formulation of an SDG Baseline Report, which will provide preparation for the Zambia National Voluntary Review, planned for presentation at the 2020 High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations.