
SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals

Why it matters
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]
The industry’s contribution
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.
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Maximising mobile’s impact by 2030
Collaboration will be imperative in order to accelerate progress against the SDGs. Mobile operators and their partners need to come together to find new ways to increase mobile internet adoption, drive usage of mobile-enabled activities and scale up IoT solutions to drive enterprise digital transformation.
Case Studies
Improving electricity grid services through smart metering - Jazz
Millicom partners with AHYU to launch new platform to provide training for educators
The Covid-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented crisis in all areas. In education, social distancing measures led to the closure of educational institutions in more than 190 countries in order to prevent the spread of the virus and mitigate its impact.[65] Recognising the transformative potential of digital technologies in education, Millicom launched its environmental, social and governance programme, Maestr@s Conectad@s, in 2020.
Through strategic partnerships with institutions and educational stakeholders such as non-profit organisation AHYU, Maestr@s Conectad@s aims to empower teachers by equipping them with the necessary tools to enhance their digital teaching skills. By fostering engagement and continuous learning, teachers can expand their professional growth and deliver lessons to a potentially limitless student community.
The programme offers free courses covering a range of topics, including digital tools such as Canva, Zoom and Trello, as well as educational innovation, storytelling, gamification, social media utilisation, classroom application of tools and neuroeducation. To further extend its reach and impact, Millicom launched a website in 2022, enabling broader access to training for teachers and students alike.[66]
Millicom committed to train and certify 80,000 teachers in 2021, 82,000 in 2022, and 84,000 in 2023. The operator surpassed expectations, having trained 421,201 teachers as of 31 March in 2023. Millicom's efforts have extended across nine countries where it operates: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Bolivia and Paraguay. This substantial accomplishment points to a significant contribution to enhancing the educational landscape and empowering teachers within these countries.

