We are using the following method to zoom a specific region. It works most of the time.. But we found that it doesn't work if we call it from Imported event. 

private void Zoom() {
            var mapLocation = MainMap.MapProjection.ProjectToMap(new Point(8.516667, 23.5)); //FocalPoint="8.516667, 23.5"
            MainMap.WindowCenter = mapLocation;
            MainMap.WindowScale = 3.5;
}

Here is the sample code to reproduce the issue. 

XAML

 <ig:XamMap  x:Name="MainMap" IsAutoWorldRect="true">
            <ig:MapNavigationPane Visibility="Collapsed"/>
            <ig:XamMap.Layers>
                <ig:MapLayer LayerName="WorldLayer"  FillMode="Choropleth" HorizontalContentAlignment="Center" Resolution="0.5"
                             HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" VerticalContentAlignment="Center">
                    <ig:MapLayer.Reader>
                        <ig:SqlShapeReader 
                            DataMapping="Data=SpatialData; Name=CountryName" >
                            <ig:SqlShapeReader.CoordinateSystem>
                                <ig:CoordinateSystem UnitType="M" FalseEasting="0.0" FalseNorthing="0.0" >
                                    <ig:CoordinateSystem.Projection>
                                        <ig:MillerCylindrical EllipsoidType="WGS84" CentralMeridian="10.0" />
                                    </ig:CoordinateSystem.Projection>
                                </ig:CoordinateSystem>
                            </ig:SqlShapeReader.CoordinateSystem>
                        </ig:SqlShapeReader>
                    </ig:MapLayer.Reader>
                    <ig:MapLayer.ValueScale>
                        <ig:LinearScale  IsAutoRange="True"/>
                    </ig:MapLayer.ValueScale>
                </ig:MapLayer>                
            </ig:XamMap.Layers>
        </ig:XamMap>
C#
public partial class MainPage : UserControl {
        MapLayer worldLayer;
 
        public MainPage() {
            InitializeComponent();
            worldLayer = MainMap.Layers["WorldLayer"] as MapLayer;
            worldLayer.Imported += new MapLayerImportEventHandler(worldLayer_Imported);
            Loaded += new RoutedEventHandler(MainPage_Loaded);
        }
 
        void worldLayer_Imported(object sender, MapLayerImportEventArgs e) {            
            Zoom();
        }
 
        static MemoGeoServiceClient geoService = new MemoGeoServiceClient();
 
        void MainPage_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) {
            geoService.GetWorldCompleted += GetWorldCompleted;
            geoService.GetWorldAsync();
        }
 
        private void GetWorldCompleted(object sender, GetWorldCompletedEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Error == null)
            {
                var sqlReader = worldLayer.Reader as SqlShapeReader;
                sqlReader.DataSource = e.Result;
                worldLayer.ImportAsync();
                MainMap.WindowFit();
 
                
            }            
        }
 
        private void Zoom() {
            var mapLocation = MainMap.MapProjection.ProjectToMap(new Point(8.516667, 23.5)); //FocalPoint="8.516667, 23.5"
            MainMap.WindowCenter = mapLocation;
            MainMap.WindowScale = 3.5;
        }       
    }

If you move this Zoom(); method from worldLayer_Imported to somewhere (e.g. GetWorldCompleted event) then it will work. 

Let me know if you need more information.. 

Thanks.

P.S: We reported about one issue related to non-English culture in my account. Please help to take a look at this issue as well. Thanks.