Goal 9 of 17 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
Infrastructure and innovation drive growth — transport, irrigation, energy, and information and communication technology are what let economies produce, trade and connect. With over half the world's population living in cities, mass transport, renewable energy and digital networks matter more than ever.
The digital divide is closing slowly: internet use rose from 40 per cent of the world's population in 2015 to about 68 per cent in 2024, yet roughly 2.6 billion people remain offline, most of them in the least developed countries, and fixed broadband averages only 20 subscriptions per 100 people worldwide. Access is still unaffordable for many households even where networks exist.
Industrial progress is uneven. Manufacturing has grown globally, but the least developed countries' share of global manufacturing value added has been stuck at around 1 per cent, and small industries struggle to obtain credit and technology. Research and development spending also remains heavily concentrated in a few economies.
Goal 9 is about quality, reliable and sustainable infrastructure, industrialisation that creates jobs and raises productivity, and innovation that reaches beyond the countries that already lead it.