diff --git i/cpp/CMakeLists.txt w/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index 3899006a..8e7458d9 100644
--- i/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ w/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.11)
 
 # Pick the C++ standard to compile with.
 # Abseil currently supports C++11, C++14, and C++17.
-set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
 project (libphonenumber)
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@ if (${USE_BOOST} STREQUAL "OFF" AND ${USE_STDMUTEX} STREQUAL "OFF")
   find_package (Threads)
 endif()
 
+find_package (absl REQUIRED)
+
 find_or_build_gtest ()
 
 if (${USE_RE2} STREQUAL "ON")
diff --git i/tools/cpp/CMakeLists.txt w/tools/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index b0941656..58a9b3ba 100644
--- i/tools/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ w/tools/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,29 +26,6 @@ project (generate_geocoding_data)
 # Helper functions dealing with finding libraries and programs this library
 # depends on.
 include (gtest.cmake)
-include (FetchContent)
-
-# Downloading the abseil sources.
-FetchContent_Declare(
-    abseil-cpp
-    GIT_REPOSITORY  https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp.git
-    GIT_TAG         origin/master
-)
-
-# Building the abseil binaries
-FetchContent_GetProperties(abseil-cpp)
-if (NOT abseil-cpp_POPULATED)
-    FetchContent_Populate(abseil-cpp)
-endif ()
-
-if (NOT abseil-cpp_POPULATED)
-   message (FATAL_ERROR "Could not build abseil-cpp binaries.")
-endif ()
-
-# Safeguarding against any potential link errors as mentioned in
-# https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/issues/225
-set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE TRUE)
-add_subdirectory(${abseil-cpp_SOURCE_DIR} ${abseil-cpp_BINARY_DIR})
 
 find_or_build_gtest ()
 set (