The UN has called for a “Decade of Action” in respect of SDGs in order to accelerate sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges. This policy brief highlights specific challenges for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), challenges that result from technology and resource gaps assessed against shortfalls in SDG indicators. We propose that multilateral, regional and bilateral cooperation should lead to a strengthened technology facilitation mechanism (TFM), which was conceived by the UN as a global public good to implement the SDGs. Our policy recommendations are: (a) Support for science, technology and innovation (STI) missions for SDGs in LMICs based on country-level priorities; (b) multilateral and regional efforts to enable financing for technology facilitation under the TFM and in turn promote global public goods for LMICs; and (c) redesigning existing development cooperation modalities to enable LMICs to leverage the TFM, bridge capacity gaps, forge public– private partnerships and access STI for SDGs. G20 presidencies should incorporate the above priorities into their work programmes, build consensus and initiate specific actions to facilitate implementation of these recommendation. Operationalizing the TFM would be a concrete and credible outcome, helping to achieve effective multilateralism, enhancing access to technologies and promoting technology transfer to LMICs, thus achieving the SDGs.