The SDG Roundtable: SDG 17 – Partnerships For The Goals

“The best partnerships aren’t dependent on a mere common goal but on a shared path of equality, desire, and no amount of passion.”

– Sarah MacLean

Half the people living in extreme poverty in 1990 are not anymore. You may wonder how this happened to be a reality. Likewise, the realization of the 17 SDG Goals by 2030 will never be an act of building a palace in the sky, if all the people come close to each other as one.

Sustainable Development Goal 17 is about “partnerships for the goals”. It is one of the 17 Sustainable Goals established by the United Nations (UN) in 2015. As explained by the UN, “A successful sustainable development agenda requires partnerships between governments, the private sector and civil society.” What the UN further emphasizes on this statement is that partnerships are needed at global, regional, national, and local level which are essentially built upon principles and values, a shared vision, and shared goals. The key fact is that the motive of these partnerships should place people and the planet at the center of their agendas. This goal comprises 19 targets and 25 indicators. The targets specify the goals that need to be achieved and the indicators help trace whether these targets are achieved. The targets are proposed as if to represent five broader categories, namely finance, technology, capacity building, trade, and systematic issues.

In the status quo, thanks to the internet, the global stage is more interconnected than ever. Therefore, uplifting access to technology and knowledge is vital to collaboration and to come up with new innovations. By 2030, if we are to breathe in a safer and more comfortable world, the international community should never leave out the developing nations. Policies are needed to help manage their debt and promoting investment for the least developed nations should be encouraged. When parts of the world weep in sorrow in front of humanitarian crises brought about by cruel conflicts or natural disasters, a demand for financial resources and aid occurs. Strong global partnerships and coordination come into assistance in such instances throwing them a lifeline to hold onto. The need of Official Development Assistance is very much required by many countries to encourage their growth and trade.

As of now, SDG 17 has demonstrated considerable progress in achieving and implanting its targets. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) expresses that in order to achieve the SDGs, it will require US$ 5 trillion to $7 trillion in annual investment. Furthermore, statistics portray that the total official development assistance reached US$ 147.2 billion in 2017. It is reported that in 2017, international remittances totaled US$ 613 billion and specifically, 76% of it went to the remittances that were dispatched to developing nations. Most importantly in 2016, 6 countries were able to go to the international target of keeping development assistance at or above 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI). The bond market for sustainable business is growing and in 2018 global green bonds reached US$15.5 billion, 78% up from previous year. In addition, as of 2016, US$18.2 trillion was in the asset class of sustainable and responsible investments representing high-potential sources of capital for SDGs.

In the current phase which the globe survives on, the subject “Coronavirus and the battle for a collaborative future“ is of paramount importance. Hans Daems, the group public affairs officer at Hitachi Europe is ofthe notion that, “It’s interesting to discuss SDG 17 at the moment. Everyone is looking at what they can do to help deal with the situation we’re in. However, partnerships are important at this needy hour, sadly under the lockdown virtual environment, while 80% of people are online in developed countries only 45%  people in the developing countries and only a meager 20% people in least developed countries have internet access as mentioned on trustworthy sources.

Sri Lanka’s Stance

When it comes to the Sri Lankan stance on the implementation of Goal 17, the Sustainable Development Council of Sri Lanka (SDC) says that “long-term investments, including foreign direct investments are needed in critical sectors, especially in developing countries.” Furthermore, the SDC is of the view that urgent action needs to be taken to redirect the resources of private resources in order to achieve the SDG objectives.

To wrap up, one should not undermine the power of the following words. 

“We were born to unite with our fellow men. And to join the community with the human race.” – Unknown.

– Rtr. Ashmini Karunarathne