SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals

SDG 17 strives to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development. Progress towards achieving SDG 17 has been mixed. There have been some advances in areas such as development aid, remittances flows and access to technology. Nevertheless, the quest for adequate funding for development continues to pose a significant hurdle, particularly in low-income nations. Moreover, the presence of geopolitical tensions has complicated efforts to foster international cooperation and coordination, further impeding progress towards SDG 17’s objectives.^[64]

Effective collaboration between the public and private sectors, as well as collaboration between different industries and sectors, drives significant improvements in the mobile industry’s contribution to the SDGs.

Many of the mobile industry’s current impacts could not be achieved without multi-stakeholder partnerships, such as the provision of mobile-enabled financial services and the support of populations affected by disasters. The mobile industry and the GSMA realise the importance of collaboration in addressing the most pressing global issues, as evidenced by the GSMA’s participation – and in some cases, leadership – in several multi-stakeholder partnerships.

For example, AI for Impact is developing global partnerships to accelerate action and achieve impact in alignment with the SDGs. This GSMA initiative, guided by a task force of 24 mobile operators and an advisory panel of 12 UN agencies and partners, defines the technical, commercial and ecosystem requirements to deliver viable data-driven products and services that adhere to principles of privacy and ethics.