Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola, Image: Durban University of Technology
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When the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015, they gave the world one of the most ambitious frameworks for shared development in modern history. The 17 goals created a common language for poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, water, energy, work, infrastructure, inequality, climate action, peace and partnerships.
But the world of 2026 is not the world of 2015.
Artificial intelligence now shapes education, research, public administration, labour markets, health systems and democratic debate. Cloud infrastructure has become as strategically important as physical infrastructure. Data has become a source of economic power. Digital platforms increasingly mediate how societies learn, trade, communicate, govern and form political opinion. Cybersecurity is now a daily concern for universities, hospitals, municipalities and states.
The SDGs remain important. But as the world begins to think beyond 2030, it must confront a difficult question: can any country achieve sustainable development if it lacks the capacity to understand, govern, produce, and benefit from the technologies that increasingly determine its future?
This is why the world needs a serious conversation about the 18th SDG: technological sovereignty and digital justice – in particular in Africa and the Global South.
Technology is a field of power
This is not a call to multiply global slogans. It is a call to recognise that technology has become the operating system of development itself. Education, health, agriculture, energy, climate adaptation, industrialisation, public finance and governance are now mediated by digital systems, artificial intelligence, data infrastructure and advanced technologies. A development framework that treats technology only as an enabler, rather than as a field of power, dependency and justice, is incomplete.
Several proposals for an 18th SDG have already emerged. Some have argued for universal communication. Others have proposed responsible and inclusive artificial intelligence, digital technology, animal welfare, space sustainability, or ethnic-racial equality as possible missing goals.
These proposals are important because they reveal a wider truth: the 2015 SDG framework is now under pressure from realities that have intensified since its adoption. My argument is that the most comprehensive missing goal is technological sovereignty and digital justice, particularly for the Global South.
Technology in the list of 17
Technology is not absent from the existing SDGs. SDG 9 already speaks to industry, innovation and infrastructure. Other goals also refer to science, innovation, data, energy systems, education technologies and partnerships. But technological sovereignty, artificial intelligence governance, data justice, cybersecurity resilience and domestic innovation capability are not treated as development goals in their own right. That is the gap.
For Africa and the Global South, this issue is urgent. Many universities teach through foreign platforms, store research data in external cloud systems, rely on imported laboratory equipment, use artificial intelligence tools designed elsewhere, and depend on digital architectures over which they have limited control.
Many governments procure digital systems without building domestic capability. Many countries generate vast quantities of data without having sufficient sovereign infrastructure, technical expertise or regulatory capacity to govern that data in the long-term public interest.
This creates a new development divide. It is no longer only a divide between those with and without access to technology. It is a divide between those who design technology and those who merely consume it; between those who own data infrastructure and those who supply data; between those who govern artificial intelligence and those who are governed by it.
An 18th SDG should, therefore, be framed as follows: ensure equitable technological sovereignty, responsible artificial intelligence, data justice and inclusive innovation capacity for all nations.
Technological sovereignty
Such a goal would not promote technological isolation. Sovereignty does not mean autarky or withdrawal from global cooperation. It means the ability to participate in global systems with dignity, capability and bargaining power. It means that developing countries should not be permanent consumers of technologies designed elsewhere, but co-creators of the technological future.
Higher education must be central to this agenda. Universities cannot remain observers of technological dependence. They must become engines of technological capability. This means producing, not only graduates and publications, but also prototypes, patents, start-ups, open technologies, local platforms, community innovations, industrial partnerships and public-interest research.
Universities of technology play a particularly important role. Their mandate is applied knowledge, problem-solving, industry engagement and social innovation. They are well placed to translate technological sovereignty into practical development outcomes, including medical devices, clean energy systems, water technologies, agricultural tools, digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity capacity, smart manufacturing, and inclusive entrepreneurship.
But this requires a shift in how governments, funding agencies and universities define impact. Research systems often reward publications more easily than prototypes. They measure journal outputs more consistently than technology transfer.
They celebrate international collaboration but do not always ask whether it builds local capability. They encourage innovation rhetoric but underfund the laboratories, workshops, testing platforms, and commercialisation pathways required to move ideas into products.
An 18th SDG would help correct this imbalance. It would give countries, universities and development agencies a language for measuring technological capability as a development outcome. It would ask whether a country can build, maintain, adapt and govern the technologies on which its development depends.
The proposed SDG 18 should include measurable targets: affordable and secure digital infrastructure; responsible AI governance; national data protection and data sovereignty frameworks; cybersecurity readiness; local language inclusion in digital systems; investment in research and development; technology transfer; local manufacturing of critical technologies; support for university-based innovation; and fair participation of developing countries in global technology governance.
The United Nations has already recognised the importance of digital cooperation through the Global Digital Compact. That is a positive step. But a compact is not the same as a goal. A compact can guide cooperation; a goal shapes measurement, accountability, funding, institutional behaviour and political priority.
Existing goals depend on technology
The SDGs matter because they tell the world what to count. If technological sovereignty is not counted, it will remain peripheral. If digital justice is not measured, it will remain rhetorical. If innovation capacity in the Global South is not treated as a development priority, the world will continue to reproduce dependency while speaking the language of partnership.
The world does not need an 18th SDG as if the existing 17 were already irrelevant. It needs one because the existing goals are increasingly dependent on technology.
Health systems depend on diagnostics, data and medical technologies. Education depends on connectivity and learning platforms. Agriculture depends on sensors, climate intelligence and logistics systems. Climate adaptation depends on modelling, satellites and early-warning tools. Governance depends on secure information systems. Work depends on digital skills and readiness for automation.
Technological sovereignty is, therefore, not a separate development concern. It is becoming the foundation for many existing goals.
The SDGs promised that no one should be left behind. In the 21st century, those most likely to be left behind are countries, communities and institutions that are locked out of the technologies that define the future.
The world needs an 18th SDG. It should be technological sovereignty and digital justice.
Professor Fulufhelo Nemavhola is the deputy vice-chancellor for research, innovation, and engagement at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in South Africa.
The publication by Springer Nature covers themes including university governance, institutional sustainability, education for sustainable development, innovation, and community partnerships
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MUSCAT: Springer Nature has recently published a scientific book titled: ‘Higher Education and Sustainable Development in the Arab Gulf States: Practical Approaches and Institutional Strategies.’
The book is edited by Dr Khalaf bin Marhoon al Abri, Associate Professor and Head of the Educational Foundation and Administration Department at the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University and Dr Elizabeth Buckner from the University of Toronto, Canada.
The book provides an in-depth scholarly analysis of the role of higher education institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in fostering sustainable development pathways.
This is achieved by showcasing the experiences and practices of several universities and academic institutions across the region, and by analysing policies, programmes, and initiatives that help align Higher Education with Sustainable Development Goals at both the institutional and national levels.
The publication features a set of research studies conducted by scholars from universities and research centres both within and outside the region. It covers a wide range of themes including university governance, institutional sustainability, education for sustainable development, innovation, and community partnerships.
Additionally, it addresses the main challenges and opportunities facing higher education institutions in the GCC countries as they seek to enhance their contribution to sustainable development.
Dr Khalaf explained that the idea of the book originated during the 13th Gulf Research Meeting, hosted by the University of Cambridge, UK, in 2023, before evolving into a scientific project in which many researchers from various universities and academic institutions participated.
He added that the book aims to enrich the scholarly literature on Higher Education in the Gulf countries by offering insights and experiences grounded in the Gulf context, supporting researchers, policymakers, and university leadership in developing institutional policies and practices.
This publication represents a valuable scientific contribution to SQU, enhancing its presence in global knowledge production in the fields of Higher Education and sustainable development. It also highlights the contribution of Omani researchers to addressing key national and regional priority issues.
The book’s content aligns with national directions supporting the achievement of Oman Vision 2040 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly regarding the advancement of education, the promotion of innovation, and the establishment of more sustainable and impactful educational institutions.
Dr Khalaf specialises in education and higher education policies and systems, education for sustainable development, educational governance, quality assurance, and academic accreditation.
His work focuses on developing educational policies and aligning them with sustainability issues and the Sustainable Development Goals. He has authored numerous research and scholarly publications in these fields, actively participating in various international scientific committees and initiatives related to education and sustainable development.
He also contributed to numerous published studies that examine the development of education systems and their role in achieving sustainable development.
Veteran architect says next growth wave heading north to Simaisma
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Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah. PICTURE: Thajudheen.
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Sustainability in Qatar has crossed from marketing language into law, with every government project now required to pass a sustainability assessment before it proceeds, according to one of the country’s best-known architects.
“In the past, the word sustainability was just a cliché and a marketing tool. But now in Qatar, I am so happy to see sustainability becomes a regulation. It is a practice and it is actually a legislation. Now, any government project has to have a sustainability assessment system,” said Ibrahim Mohammed Jaidah, Group CEO and founder of Arab Engineering Bureau, one of the country’s oldest and largest home-grown architectural firms.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Jaidah said the discipline now runs through the whole pipeline of national infrastructure. “Development projects in Qatar are well studied and based on the whole concept of sustainability and it is a key focus in Qatar’s projects,” he said.
Jaidah, who is well known as the architect of some of the iconic public and private buildings and projects in the country, including Al Thumama Stadium and Place Vendome among others, noted that sustainability should be the hallmark of an entire project.
“If your building is sustainable, you get to build more in such style. And that is why all the developers are very keen to get more stars in sustainability to gain more reputation. In my opinion, sustainability is not only needed for an individual building but for the entire project or the whole town. We should be developing a city that is very sustainable,” he continued.
He commended the GSAS programme developed by Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, an initiative to measure and assess the sustainability compatibility of a project, and cited the Lusail development as a perfect example of sustainability.
Jaidah underlined that the growth taking place in the country is not a random one. “What is happening is not just taking place like some random growth. It is all very well-studied projects and each and every aspect of it has been well taken care of and it gives a solid step towards the future,” he described.
Jaidah said development is a continuous process and that Doha has one of the best infrastructures any city could dream of.
He stated: “The country is still moving towards new development and the expansion. A bit of slowdown happened after the World Cup, which is natural as a lot of massive infrastructure development took place prior to the event.
“I think it is natural for any city to grow seamlessly. Now we hear about several projects that are happening in Simaisma. I think it is being expanded up there. So it is like the next stage of development. It will not be like a big city, yet it will be developed more for tourism, for apartments among others. I think the population is moving northwards and southwards and these are the areas that can be developed in the coming years,” he continued.
The veteran architect highlighted the life of people in the country before the introduction of electricity and modern amenities.
“Our ancestors lived here without electricity, without any of the modern facilities. But they managed to live well because they were doing their buildings that were responsive to the environment. Small openings, even about the wind, they would study how it moves. Buildings were close to each other, they created shades to each other. And this is the lesson learned and implemented in some of the modern constructions in the country,” he highlighted.
“However, with more greenery and with the landscaping and the use of proper and advanced materials, we are making the projects more environment-friendly and sustainable,” he added
DOHA: United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Dr Rania Al Mashat has hailed Qatar’s leadership in advancing sustainable development, digital transformation, and multilateral cooperation while calling for deeper collaboration between ESCWA and the country to accelerate progress across the Arab region.
In an interview with QNA, Dr Al Mashat described Qatar as a key regional partner in promoting sustainable development and reaffirmed ESCWA’s commitment to expanding cooperation in areas such as social protection, digital transformation, innovation, strategic planning, artificial intelligence, statistics, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said her visit to Doha reflects the longstanding partnership between ESCWA and Qatar and included meetings with senior Qatari officials to discuss advancing the sustainable development agenda at both regional and international levels. The discussions also focused on enhancing the exchange of expertise and technical knowledge to support development initiatives across the Arab world.
Dr Al Mashat praised Qatar’s active role in fostering multilateral cooperation and highlighted its continued support for the Palestinian cause and efforts to promote peace and regional stability. She stressed the importance of sustaining initiatives that address shared challenges while strengthening regional cooperation.
Commenting on Qatar’s development achievements, she said the country has made significant progress in implementing its sustainable development agenda and has demonstrated a strong commitment to solidarity and multilateral action despite the complex challenges facing the region.
Homer’s Odyssey is a quest, following King Odysseus’s ten-year journey back home to Ithaca after the Trojan war. It is a tale with distinct geographic, spatial and temporal dimensions. It is no wonder that for centuries, people have been intrigued by the places mentioned in the Odyssey, wondering how many of them were real.
The ancient Greek polymath Eratosthenes, who was the first person to measure the circumference of the Earth, disputed that the Odyssey had anything to do with geography. He said: “You will find the scene of the wanderings of Odysseus when you find the cobbler who sewed up the bag of the winds.”
I have researched the history of cartography and mental mapping for more than two decades. To me, the geographical elements of this story are what grounds it. Odysseus’s desire to find a way home lies at the very heart of the poem. And Odysseus changes as he moves across these various places and spaces.
Mapping the myth
The ancient Greek historian Polybius, who came 600 years after Homer, believed The Odyssey was a real story with some myths, rather than the reverse. He insisted that some of the fishing practices near Scylla, for example, were similar to those in the islands of Sicily, so Scylla must be located off the coast of Sicily.
Strabo was a Greek philosopher and geographer writing almost seven centuries after Homer. His 17-volume Geographica is a comprehensive atlas and encyclopaedia of Greek life during Emperor Augustus. It also tells the story of islands of men and women in the Indian Ocean, just as Homer depicts in The Odyssey:
In the ocean, there is a small island, not very far out to sea, situated off the outlet of the Liger River; and the island is inhabited by women of the Samnitae, and they are possessed by Dionysus and make this god propitious by appeasing him.
Legends and myths from the time talk about women who seduced men and led them into danger. They were women such as Homer’s Circe, who he describes as “a dreadful goddess with lovely hair”. She lives alone on the island of Aeae with her docile wolves and lions, and lures Odysseus and his men to her to turn them into pigs.
Homer also writes of Calypso, who keeps Odysseus in “sexual captivity” on her island of Ogygia for seven years. Alternatively, this is where Odysseus remained voluntarily until he decided that he had had enough, depending on the translation.
In the maps and globes of the ancient world, myths and the real world overlap and intersect. The Roman mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy, who mapped the known world in 150BC, showed many of these Homeric places in his maps, such as the Lotophagitis (the land of the Lotus-eaters), Circaeum Promontorium (Aeaea, Circe’s kingdom) and Sirenusae Insulae (the island of the sirens).
The Cosmographia Germanus, a 15th-century recreation of Ptolemy’s map of the known world. Cartanciennes
Attempts to transpose these locations accurately to modern maps have been difficult. Ptolemy’s calculations of latitudes and longitudes were based on a vastly different projection and understanding of the Earth’s circumference. An approximate matching of the locations to modern maps hints at Lotophagitis being located in Africa.
In the late-16th century, Dutch mapmaker Abraham Ortelius mapped Odysseus’s journey for the first time in its entirety in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. It was called the Map of the Wanderings of Ulysses, Ulysses being the Latin name for Odysseus.
Ortelius represents both the mythical and fictional worlds of Odysseus as scientific facts, and claims that Ithaca is modern Corfu. Homer had placed Calypso’s island off the coast of Scheria, a mythical haven and the final stop for Odysseus before returning to Ithaca.
There was no island west of Corfu, so Ortelius created a fictional island on his map. This became the basis for future maps, and so the imaginary island kept appearing through the 19th and 20th centuries.
Victor Bérard in black and white photograph in 1915. WikiCommons
In 1912, Victor Bérard, a French politician and traveller, tried to retrace Odysseus’s journey by travelling the same route. He placed Calypso’s island near Gibraltar, and the land of the Lotus-Eaters as Djerba off southern Tunisia. He placed the land of the Cyclopes at Posillipo in Naples.
One of the most significant debates in unravelling the geography of The Odyssey has been to pinpoint where Ithaca really was.
For a long time, scholars have argued that it must be the island of Ithaki in the Ionian sea. The problem is that Ithaki is mountainous, while Homer’s Ithaca is “low-lying”.
Researchers from Cambridge and Aberdeen have recently proposed that Ithaca was never described as an island in Homer’s description. Instead, they suggest he describes it as land or country that is part of a bigger island.
This would suggest that Paliki, lying on the western coast of Kefalonia, is a better candidate. Geo-scientific investigations and archaeological excavations have uncovered that Paliki was a significant bronze age site, and hence a plausible location.
The locations from Odysseus’s journey might map on to real-world locations, or they might be purely myth. Either way, the inter-relationship of these locations tell us a story of a yearning for home and search for belonging. It also throws light on how the ancient writers saw our world as filled with mystery and dangers.
The geography of The Odyssey is a lens through which to understand the vulnerabilities and fears of men in the ancient Greek world. Maps of Odysseus’s journey might not be real, but then all maps lie.
Maps are only a story we tell ourselves – a journey into the unknown, far beyond the boundaries of our imagination. In The Odyssey, Homer was not only mapping the world, but building a world.
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