Investment in infrastructure is required for the growth in productivity and income, and improvement in health and education. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 argues that inclusive and sustainable industrial development is the primary source of income generation which in turn allows for rapid and sustained increases in living standards for all people, and provides the technological solutions to environmentally sound industrialisation.
It is equally important that investments in infrastructure - transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology - are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many developing economies like Bangladesh.
SDG 9 also underscores that the technological progress is the foundation of efforts to achieve environmental objectives such as increased resource and energy-efficiency. Without technology and innovation, industrialisation will not happen, and without industrialisation, development will not happen.
It is also imperative that quality infrastructure is positively related to the achievement of social, economic and political goals
The global infrastructure scenario as outlined in SDG 9 is as below:
* Basic infrastructure like roads, information and communication technologies, sanitation, electrical power and water remains scarce in many developing countries
* About 2.6 billion people in the developing world are facing difficulties in accessing electricity full time
* 2.5 billion people worldwide lack access to basic sanitation and almost 800 million people lack access to water, many hundreds of millions of them in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia
* 1-1.5 billion people do not have access to reliable phone services
* Inadequate infrastructure leads to a lack of access to markets, jobs, information and training, creating a major barrier to doing business. Undeveloped infrastructures limits access to health care and education
* For many African countries, particularly the lower-income countries, the existent constraints regarding infrastructure affect firm productivity by around 40 per cent
* Manufacturing is an important employer, accounting for around 470 million jobs worldwide in 2009 - or around 16 per cent of the world's workforce of 2.9 billion. In 2013, it is estimated that there were more than half a billion jobs in manufacturing
* Industrialisation's job multiplication effect has a positive impact on society. Every one job in manufacturing creates 2.2 jobs in other sectors. Small and medium-sized enterprises that engage in industrial processing and manufacturing are the most critical for the early stages of industrialisation and are typically the largest job creators. They make up over 90 per cent of business worldwide and account for between 50-60 per cent of employment
* In countries where data are available, the number of people employed in renewable energy sectors is presently around 2.3 million. Given the present gaps in information, this is no doubt a very conservative figure. Because of strong rising interest in energy alternatives, the possible total employment for renewables by 2030 is 20 million jobs
* Least developed countries have immense potential for industrialisation in food and beverages (agro-industry), and textiles and garments, with good prospects for sustained employment generation and higher productivity
* In developing countries, barely 30 per cent of agricultural production undergoes industrial processing. In high-income countries, 98 per cent is processed. This suggests that there are great opportunities for developing countries in agribusiness
The UN has set the targets for SDG 9 which reflect that by 2030, development of quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure should be in place to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
It is hoped that by promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation by 2030, it will significantly raise industry’s contributions to employment generation and gross domestic product in line with national objectives.
SDG 9 expects the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises should increase, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
By 2030, upgrading infrastructure and retrofit industries will be pertinent to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes.
SDG 9 also chart the responsibility to enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.
SDG 9 has urged to facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and Small Island developing States.
It has also stressed upon support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities.
Finally, SDG 9 has underscored the need to significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020.
Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid, former Secretary to the government and former Chairman, NBR.
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