Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year and half since we started this project. We have just completed the 17th and final goal, and although this post will focus on Goal 17, we wanted to take a minute to reflect, and to thank our participants for all of their hard work over the last 18 months. Altogether we had over 175 submissions from nearly 50 participants across the globe, and 5 participants who completed ALL 17 GOALS!!! Thank you so much Kamegaki Hiroyoshi , JUN Yamazaki, Satoshi Ganeko, Takafumi Shakuya, and Yasushi Ishikawa for your continued support, for helping to spread awareness for the Goals, and for helping to make this project a success! Keep an eye on our blog for a more comprehensive recap of the project, and for some exciting announcements!

Check out all of the Goal 17 submissions in our Viz Gallery!

Goal 17 Submissions:

What we learned from the Goal 17 submissions:

• The share of Global Merchandise Exports for Least Developed Countries increased from .5% to 1% from 2000 to 2019, which puts them on track for meeting the target of doubling that share by 2020. The largest improvements came in the Central & Southern Asia region
• In 2001, Developed Nations accounted for nearly 70% of global merchandise exports. In 2019, they accounted for just 55% due to increased exports from Developing Nations
• The amount of exports from China has increased nearly 10 fold between 2001 and 2019. For comparison, the exports for the U.S. have less than doubled during that same span of time
• Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) from OECD-DAC (Organization for Economic Development – Development Assistance Committee) countries have been declining every year between 2016 and 2019. Though 2020 figures aren’t yet available, the expectation is that the decline will be even more significant than prior years.
• Between 2000 and 2019, Developing Countries have received nearly $10 Trillion in Direct Foreign Investment. During that same span of time, Least Developed Countries have received around $370 billion, just 4$ of that of Developing Countries
• As of 2019, roughly half of the world’s population has internet access, but there are significant regional disparities. In North America, nearly 90% of individuals have internet access, compared to just 12% in Middle Africa

How can we help to promote strong partnerships?

At a global level there are not many things we can do to help strengthen existing or to encourage new partnerships, but like many of the Goals before this one, there are things we can do locally to set the stage for longer term global success. And we can do this by focusing on embedding a sense of community and collaboration in future generations. We can encourage our youth to focus on teamwork through local sports programs, and through volunteer work with local communities and organizations. We can demonstrate the power and importance of collaboration and be role models for generations to come. We can create a generation of future leaders that are better equipped to change the world than we are, through real partnership, through a real global mindset, and through focusing on the needs of our species as a whole, not just the ones that live within our borders.

Thank you for an amazing 18 months! We have now completed all 17 Goals, but we aren’t quite done yet. Keep an eye on our blog for our Project Recap, and for an exciting announcement!