ECOWAS Acting Director of Trade, Kolawole Sofola
Unemployment remains a major challenge in the ECOWAS sub-region. Women and youth are amongst the most affected.
To bridge this gap, ECOWAS is developing an e-commerce strategy to provide economic opportunities, especially for women, youth and small-scale cross-border traders (SSCBT).
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb's Ernestina Serwaa Asante, the ECOWAS Acting Director of Trade said, “We know that digitalization helps increase efficiency and eCommerce has the potential to deepen productivity, boost structural transformation and create jobs for our growing youth population”.
He continued that the strategy seeks to “create a sustainable, inclusive and secure e-commerce ecosystem supportive of ECOWAS’ efforts to use technology to accelerate structural change and foster regional integration through economic diversification”. Emphasis is placed on the inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable groups such as Women, Youth, persons with disabilities and SSCBT.
"By efficiently connecting buyers and sellers, more business opportunities are generated …this will require an increase in our production and employment," Mr Sofola said.
He pointed out that the e-commerce strategy was based on national assessments of e-Trade Readiness which took into consideration issues related to ICT infrastructure, trade facilitation and logistics, legal and regulatory frameworks, digital skills development and payment solutions.
The e-commerce strategy will provide access to new markets, boosting trade and increasing revenue generation.
ESA/FNOQ
