How development corridors interact with the Sustainable Development Goals in East Africa

Abstract

Investment in infrastructure and industry has reached record levels across the global South, leading to claims that the world is at the dawn of a fourth industrial revolution. This claim is reflected in the central position that infrastructure and industry occupy in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure has been described as fundamental to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With this in mind, it is important to investigate how Goal 9 interacts with other SDGs. Informed by SDG interactions literature, this article considers emerging trade-offs between Goal 9 and other SDGs in East Africawhere infrastructure and industry are dominating development planning and financing. Based on in-depth, qualitative research along two new 'development corridors' in East Africa, we highlight the complexities and nuances of SDG interactions and offer insights into why certain SDGs are often prioritised over others.

How Can “Community Voices” from Qualitative Research Illuminate Our Understanding of the Implementation of the SDGs? A Scoping Review

“…Many of the included studies were of high quality and reflected the investment of significant resources in the underpinning research projects and programmes. For example, Bersaglio et al's research into the interaction between the construction of development corridors and the SDGs collected data from 167 focus group participants [31]. The findings of the study were striking, with participants reporting livelihood benefits from the new roads but also negative impacts such as the loss of customary land and sacred sites for which no compensation was provided.…”

“…Similarly, Bersaglio et al critically examined the construction of an East African "development corridor" (road) on the roadside communities [31]. Although development corridors bring benefits such as easier access to markets, they also bring challenges such as the destruction of homes and increases in sexually transmitted diseases.…”

“…The authors concluded that investment in SDG 9 ("industry, innovation and infrastructure") was being prioritised over investment in other SDGs in East Africa, reflecting the focus of investment in infrastructure among overseas governments, especially China: "donors and investors are also contributing to the prioritisation of Goal 9 over other goals, such as those that promote environmental protection or social equity. The implication is that local and national authorities are left to accept or mitigate trade-offs without adequate resources, as the same level of finance is not made available for SDGs with lower returns on investment" [31] (p. 14).…”