The ABCs of Sustainable Development Goals and Sudan’s situation X

Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

By Dr. Hassan Humeida

Kiel, Germany: The ninth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals seeks to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

In practice, this goal represents the core basis for global economic growth and sustainable development until 2030.

Its importance is embodied in meeting future challenges that are numerous and include increasing global population, increasing urban population, the need for energy and its uses, pressing environmental requirements, developing means of communications, and promoting information technology.

Other challenges include encouraging scientific research and discoveries, establishing new industries that are friendly to the environment and the nature of living organisms and their habitats, developing renewable energy sources, and encouraging the exchange of experiences and competition.

Industry is the dynamo that drives development globally, and should it stop one day, all kinds of development will also come to stop.

Development varies in its sustainability depending on the types of industry and its equipment. These include heavy, medium and light industries. These also differ in their impact on the environment surrounding living organisms, including humans.

In our current era, the world is bidding farewell to industries that have a greater impact on the environment, and it is striving diligently to create other environmentally friendly industries.

Some types of traditional industries hold a special aifgnficance through their role in achieving local sustainability, especially handicrafts. Hence the importance of these industries and their role in the path to sustainability.

To achieve sustainable industries locally and globally, it is necessary to encourage industrial, technological and research innovation, which plays an important role in modern society and works positively to support institutions and companies, employment, production and competition.

Innovation is based on strengthening the capabilities to use resources and wealth in a guided and sustainable manner, which will be the basis for building a peaceful world for tomorrow, driven by justice, equality and participation through advanced and up-to-date products.

Innovation, in its definitional content, expresses the form of a new product or innovative service, or a new manufacturing process, or modern technology that keeps pace with the developments of the times and the requirements of its people.

It also aims to confront the influences plaguing human societies, such as ignorance, poverty, hunger, and disease. If one day, the human community is affected, the rest of the creatures that surround them in forests, seas … will be affected.

To pave the way for innovation, a special infrastructure that represents the base of the pyramid for Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals is required.

Innovation is classified into several types, including innovation in technology and manufacturing, in supply and marketing, in work and production, in product development, in advertising and trade, and in the exchange of experiences.

Under the umbrella of infrastructure, various sectors are closely linked to their necessity to achieve this goal and the rest of the sustainable development goals.

They include ways to acquire and use alternative energy, means of transportation, irrigation systems, and modernization of communications and information technology.

All of them are of utmost importance in achieving the desired sustainable development globally, not only in cities and urban areas, but also in villages and rural areas.

Based on statistics related to this goal, there are about 6 billion people in the world, and 90% of them live in developing countries where Internet services are not available.

There are 40% of poor African countries that suffer from limited infrastructure and lack of transportation, which is reflected in a 40% decline in the production of companies operating in these states.

There are also 2.6 billion people who do not have the necessary electricity to cover the requirements of modern daily life.

In the field of production, the percentage of agricultural products in developing countries that are subject to industrial processing is estimated at 30%.

This is after harvesting and displaying it to global markets, compared to 98% of industrial processors of developed country products for the same markets.

With regard to global marketing of the products of poor developing countries, they do not exceed 2% in global trade in their most important products, as this depends on need, supply and demand.

To achieve the ninth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, “Industry, innovation and infrastructure, the future of life on planet Earth, specifically industrialization, energy uses, and the effects of carbon emissions resulting from industrialization, production, and transfer, primarily represented by carbon dioxide gas, must be considered.

The latest studies in this field indicate that these carbon emissions have declined in recent years in many countries.

However, this decline is limited to production and consumption, and is uneven across the world. For example, carbon emissions are lower in poor countries than in rich countries.

Countries that produce and consume fossil energy are at the top of the pyramid in terms of carbon emissions, affecting the increase in global warming on the planet Earth, and in turn directly impacting the environments and habitats of living organisms both on the surface of the Earth and in the depths of the seas and oceans.

The result is that carbon emissions have a devastating effect on the ozone layer protecting the Earth’s outer atmosphere, which in turn exacerbates the global climate crisis, through effects such as man-made greenhouse gases.

Sudan was known in the past as a geographical area rich in its ancient civilizations and in its development. Sudan’s ancient civilizations were famous for being the cradle of the most important modern industries, and a home for traditional handicraft dating back to ancient times.

The theme of “Industry, innovation, and infrastructure” takes us here on a long journey dating back to before the Kushite civilization, and through the Kushite civilization and the Meroitic civilization, and their artifacts that are displayed at various museums around the world.

They are made of pottery, rock, bronze, gold, shells, beads, and other materials as well.

The ancient civilizations of Sudan have played a significant role, i including the basics of modern mechanics, especially the basics of agricultural mechanics and irrigation mechanics, the sources of which were the ancient Nubian civilizations in northern Sudan.

All of this is separate and qualitatively incompatible with the ancient Egyptian civilizations, which were the first rival and competitor to the ancient Nubian civilizations in ancient Africa.

There are, for example, industries dealing with agricultural and irrigation equipment and machinery, which were the birthplace of those ancient Nubian civilizations.

We can here mention the bucket, the shaduf, the waterwheel, the pulleys, the gears, the gears, and other ancient machines found in museums in the developed world that document their history and original homeland, and that are still used today in the land of Greater Sudan for sustainable production in various areas.

Simple industrialization in Sudan begins with the production of household utensils and furniture, using all locally available materials.

They include fronds, leather, shell feathers, bark, ropes and threads traditionally woven from cotton, Nile boats from wood (These boats are used on the Nile River from the deep south to the far north), and making bricks that are burned to build houses.

Shelter construction in Sudan varies from one place to another, and according to the climate of the regions.

In rainy areas, they may be temporary shelters, rebuilt or renovated at the beginning of the year.

They are made mainly of straw, sticks, wood, bark, ropes, trellises and palm leaves.

In other areas, especially those adjacent to the Nile, they are built of mud mixed with domestic animal dung.

This method is considered one of the oldest ways to build houses that have unique and sustainable architectural and environmental properties, redefining the term global sustainability in construction and the ABCs of designing buildings and architecture.

In many areas of Sudan that enjoy a degree of local prosperity and urbanization, people use red bricks to build their shelters. The nomadic tribes and itinerant shepherds of the Sudanese population also have itinerant and nomadic shelters, which depend in their construction on the use of textiles, skins and wool of cattle.

In addition, Sudan was the first country to gain its independence on the African continent. This paved the way for the country to benefit from the modern industrial institutions left by British colonialism for the Sudanese to use.

Here, we refer specifically to the Sudan Railways, the Sea Ports Authority, the cotton gins, and the textile companies.

Then, industries related to daily life, such as the manufacture of cheese and dairy products, soap and toothpaste, sauce and pasta, clothing and shoes, and other important products, entered Sudan at an early date when compared to the rest of the region and neighboring countries.

This led Sudan, at the height of its industrial years, to being self-sufficient, sharing the remaining surplus of its products with neighboring countries, in the form of fair trade exchange, and on the foundations and customs of global trade that support the issue of sustainability until the era of globalization.

Such an era is fraught with injustice towards poor developing countries and human life, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, it is all in the interest of developed countries that beat the drums of justice and call for human rights, but they deliberately and regularly ignore the meaning of such rights.

In the modern era, various industries have expanded in Sudan, especially those related to sugar, bread, leather, flour, beverages, oils, textiles, sweets, biscuits, pasta, jam, tahini, cheese, sauce, various types of soap, perfumes, toothpaste, and the manufacture of some medical materials that are easy to set up, including solutions, sterilizers, ointments and creams.

Sudan has also made significant strides in heavy industries, including the assembly of cars and means of transportation, and the manufacture of spare parts that do not represent a major technological obstacle when manufactured locally thanks to the availability of the hard alloys and the presence of workforce expertise.

A major element that can be added regarding industry and innovation in Sudan is protecting the country’s national products from piracy by manufacturing countries and global markets.

Whoever can pirate modern and advanced technology, print it, manufacture it, and sell it in global markets, without respecting the original rights, can abuse light industries such as straws, dishes, bags, purses, bags, cloths, and lanterns in Sudan.

Market piracy does not only affect handicrafts, but also popular foods in Sudan.

There are, for example, a huge number of recipes for Sudanese dishes that are well-documented in video and audio and how they are prepared in practice, without the participants referring to them on social media platforms as dishes of Sudanese origin.

National hand-made products in Sudan are now produced in many countries, without accurate and fair global control over them.

Hence, we appeal to all specialists in industry and innovation, and those working in protecting national products, consumption, culture, and Sudanese folklore, to stand up for the protection of Sudanese products, starting with popular food dishes, and ending with sustainable handmade products.

Such endeavors will enable their homeland and origin to remain known and their cultural rights to be protected, as is the case with the rest of the world’s products.

In order to fully or partially achieve this goal in Sudan, it is necessary to put a decisive end to the war raging in the country now through which the human annihilation of the people of Sudan is taking place, especially the working human force (youth).

These people can be used for development and progress in various fields instead of war and the dangerous displacement of citizens.

The ongoing war in various regions of Sudan has caused the almost complete (90%) destruction of the most important sectors of economic development – the industrial sector.

This represents a stumbling block to sustainable development by 2030 in Sudan and in neighboring countries that depend wholly or partially on Sudan’s agricultural and animal resources, land, livestock, and water sources.

Disrupting the industrial sector in Sudan means destroying the spirit of innovation and competition in all its forms, and demolishing the infrastructure that began with the occupation of citizens’ shelters that were safe from alien groups using the force of arms.

This was followed by the destruction of facilities, institutions, and state entities through heavy weapons used for destruction, transforming the ruling state’s authority into a barbaric state preoccupied with attacks instead of managing the state that lost its control more than eight months ago.

The Sudanese state must return and regain its sound status under democratic rule that the citizens choose through fair elections, and is not imposed on them by force or tyranny.

A summary of points regarding the ongoing war and its effects in destroying the industrial and productive sector in Sudan:

First: The ongoing war in Sudan has completely paralyzed the infrastructure, which means placing major obstacles towards developing these structures to be stronger, of better quality and sustainable in the future.

They were expected to support the economy and human well-being locally and to generate effects that will be reflected in progress and equality regionally as well.

Second: The ongoing war has had a direct impact on employment, industry and production.

This impact was evident in the lack of production, the consequences of which are reflected on the self-sufficiency of the citizens, and the reluctance to export the most important products that benefit Sudan, its citizens, and the citizens of neighboring countries. Such negative effects have paved the way for poverty and hunger.

Third: The terrible war has disrupted important projects for industry, production, and the fight against poverty and hunger, especially agricultural and animal production projects.

Such projects include small enterprises concerned with the lives of individuals and families, and large projects related to various products on which Sudan depends for the wellbeing of its economy.

Fourth: The artificial war has stopped all available means to improve and modernize sustainable industry in Sudan. It also blocked the possibilities of benefiting from ways to use clean technology in all areas of local manufacturing. Consequently, Sudan does not keep pace as a developing African country with an influential strategic development dimension in the growth of the region.

Fifth: The barbaric war has led to the stagnation of the use of Sudan’s wealth and internal resources, a use that serves the purposes of sustainability locally and globally.

With the absence of Sudan’s most important products from global markets, a major imbalance in supply and demand for these products is generated.

This, in turn, paves the way in the future for the loss of the most important sectors as their production in global markets is affected.

Sixth: The backward war has succeeded in disrupting scientific research and sustainable technological development after destroying its most important basic rules.

This represents a major stumbling block towards promoting scientific research, developing technological progress, and encouraging innovation in the industrial sector in a developing country of regional importance like Sudan.

Seventh: The senseless war has affected the lives of people in Sudan, forcing them into unemployment, causing lack of wages and salaries, disrupting production, increasing prices, and spreading poverty and hunger.

This has led to the forced migration of citizens internally and externally, the occupation of individuals’ shelters and family homes, and the plundering of their property by force of arms.

Eighth: The aggressive war has stopped mutual international financial support between Sudan, friendly countries and humanitarian organizations. There were no sustainable projects that support Sudan’s progress and make it succeed in fighting ignorance, poverty, hunger and disease, to contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals of the United Nations by 2030.

To achieve this anticipated goal or come a little closer to it in Sudan, the rich countries and some neighboring countries that envy Sudan for every positive step it takes towards development and progress must acknowledge their work to destroy the foundations of progress, development and production in Sudan, including the modern industrial sector.

They must also reveal to Sudan, as a sovereign country, and to its citizens, as human beings with dignity, the ugly truth that they are primarily responsible for spreading the war in a country that previously enjoyed peace, development, and progress.

These concerned countries that recognize themselves must pay Sudan the necessary compensation for rebuilding and reconstructing it after they participated actively in planning to the war on Sudan, its capital Khartoum, and its most important cities, El Geneina, El Obeid, Nyala, El Fasher, Kutum, Zalingei, Kadugli, Wad Madani …

The implementation of war plans in an African country does not concern its progress and the prosperity of its people. It rather means taking away its wealth and resources, so that it remains eternally in poverty, hunger and disease, while the plotters enjoy its wealth in the future.

The Sudan war is plain evidence of these countries’ violation of human rights agreements through their assistance in waging war in Sudan, the extermination of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, and interference in the affairs of Sudan as a state that has been long a member of the United Nations.

Hence, the credibility of the international community and the United Nations must come in taking up the issue of these compensations due to the devastation that befell Sudan and its institutions.

If this move is carried out fully, it would meet the expectations of the people of the states affected by the artificial war, as is the case of the people of Sudan and their country afflicted by unjust countries that believe they are great powers or have more power.

The countries that support and encourage the war must stop supplying the parties fighting for power in Sudan with weapons, so that the people of Sudan are not terrorized and displaced again after they vacated their homes and searched for safety.

If no urgent and decisive end is put to this “persecution after persecution”, Sudan will be executed within a few days.

Then the new citizens would be happy to rule Sudan and claim they are the original Sudanese.