PARTNERING WITH RWANDA’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR SDG ACCELERATION

For the effective implementation and realization of the SDGs, it is imperative that all stakeholders, including civil society organizations, the private sector, government agencies, academia, international organizations, and local communities directly engage in the process.

By actively engaging in initiatives aligned with the SDGs, such as promoting environmentally-friendly practices, fostering social inclusivity, and investing in community development projects, businesses can make meaningful contributions towards achieving the nation's sustainable development objectives. 

The call was made during the Breakfast meeting with the business community players in Kigali organized by the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to deliberate on the collective endeavors to advance the SDGs.

The Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Private Sector Federation Mr. Stephen Ruzibiza, underscored the need for the urgent participation of the business community in order to create a conducive environment for the SDGs to be achieved. 

“The easiest way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is through collaboration and working together as stakeholders. There are quite a lot of opportunities for the business community and I would urge our members to join the journey,” he said.

 The UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, Ozonnia Ojielo, stated that  the private sector is the key driver of the economy, adding that UN’s ambition is to harness and support the private sector momentum.

“We cannot achieve the SDGs if the private sector is not in the driver's seat. It's imperative for sustainable development. The SDGs speak to our bottom-line profits and shareholders' interests, but they also pave a path for government revenue to address public issues." Said Ozonnia

For Ncomile Ndlovu, the UNGC Africa Regional Coordinator, expressed enthusiasm about the forum where participants discussed uniting and working together to advance the SDGs.

“What came out as a key element is how companies can contribute to the SDGs and how they can at the same time benefit from this contribution to rescuing the SDGs. It's not a matter of just the government, civil society, or the government; it's everyone who's involved in rescuing the SDGs. I look forward to the future engagement and the growth of the UN Global Compact in Rwanda,” she said.

The panel discussion titled “Positioning Rwanda’s Private Sector to Drive the SDGs Achievement,” gave rise to many notable moments, touching on sustainability as the new business as usual and not an exception, the significance of collaborative work and partnership to reach the target goals, and the benefits of embedding SDGs in corporate strategies for the economic growth of Rwanda.

Mapula Bodibe, the Chief Executive Officer at MTN Rwanda, made reference to the MTN Group strategy, which directly tackles half of the SDGs. She however emphasized the need to scale their impact in Rwanda through partnership with local leaders in the sector.