The GSMA Utilities programme has launched the ‘Mobile for Energy Access’ initiative to support Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Universal Energy Access) during the Mobile 360 – Africa conference held in Dar es Salaam—Tanzania
The new initiative will promote the crucial role of mobile in enabling clean and affordable energy solutions, and will help mobile operators to engage more effectively with the energy sector by providing feasibility studies and advisory services, sharing insights and toolkits, and facilitating partnerships.
It is estimated that there are currently 772 million people that do not have access to energy but are covered by mobile networks.
GSMA director general Mats Granryd talked up the need for “sustainable partnerships” to support the positive impact the mobile industry is having in Africa, including its role supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Some may view pursuing the SDGs as mainly CSR, something that ‘makes business look good’. But it’s clearly much more than that. It is good business – I want to stress that, it’s good business. We all need to make money, but we need to do it in a sustainable way,” Granryd said.
“The mobile industry cannot solve the challenges of the SDG’s alone – no one can. Governments, industry, humanitarian organisations, and individuals, we all must come together to build sustainable partnerships that will achieve the SDGs,” he added.
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