The role of MSMEs and entrepreneurship in achieving the SDGs

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,1 adopted in 2015 by all nations (of the United Nations) is a powerful universal framework for action to end extreme poverty, fight inequality, foster peace and justice, and protect our planet. The Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets provide the roadmap to get there. The Agenda emphasizes the roles not only of governments but also of citizens, businesses, civil society organizations, and others as stakeholders in solving our common and globally interrelated challenges. The 2030 Agenda explicitly calls on “all businesses to apply their creativity and innovation to solving sustainable development challenges and meet societies’ most pressing problems.”

In developing countries, most businesses are MSMEs. MSMEs account for about 90 percent of businesses, provide 60 to 70 percent of formal employment in developing countries, and up to 50 percent of employment worldwide. MSMEs are thus key actors to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs as both agents for and beneficiaries of inclusive development. Their development is essential for promoting job creation, economic growth, and ensuring that no one is left behind. They are one of the best tools to address the challenge of creating 600 million new jobs by 2030, particularly for governments put in place enabling policies for and by youth.

To see the rest of the article get one of my 50 free access to the Journal of the International Council for Small Business

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26437015.2020.1714356

I welcome your interest in my and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s work. I write to raise awareness about the SDGs and the Means of Implementation to get there, including financing for Development. So please feel free to use the material from this website as long as you make attribution to the source articles and link them to the original articles. Feel free to contact me and let me know how you’ve used the material to amplify the message!

1 For more information, see https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/.