ISLAMABAD: An online knowledge sharing platform, eTrade for All, will be launched by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) on April 25 in Geneva, to help and make it easier for developing countries to navigate the supply of and demand for technical and financial assistance from partnering institutions. In addition to support e-commerce development, learn about trends and best practices, and raise visibility for partners’ initiatives and resources.

This tool was developed jointly by Unctad and the World Bank Group’s Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice and utilises data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Unctad, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Economic Forum, and the World Bank Group.

The global partnership, which addresses the cross-cutting dimensions of e-commerce, seeks to assist developing countries in seizing opportunities offered by e-commerce, a market estimated by Unctad to be worth some $22.1 trillion in 2015.

The initiative is focusing on seven key policy areas of particular relevance to e-commerce development: e-commerce readiness assessment and strategy formulation, ICT infrastructure and services, trade logistics, payment solutions, legal and regulatory frameworks, e-commerce skills development and access to financing.

These indicators can give policymakers and others a view of the e-commerce environment in their countries and across regions. Pakistan will participate in the event, and Minister for Commerce, Khurram Dastgir Khan, will lead the commerce ministry delegation.

The aim is to leverage the substantial potential for e-commerce and to promote inclusive trade-driven growth in developing countries, particularly in providing small and medium-sized (SMEs) enterprises access to global markets.

SMEs will benefit from the exchange of information, and share best practices in respect of e-commerce development. This platform will at the same time present donors with better information on programmes and to potentially fund projects according to their development priorities, to raise awareness of opportunities, challenges and solutions in their respective activities, to leverage e-commerce prospects.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2017