E-Commerce will connect business owners to international markets - UNCTAD

Chief of Digital Economy Capacity-building Section at United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Cécile Barayre-El Shami, has noted that the pending e-commerce strategy will connect business owners from the national level to international markets.

She stated that the emergence of e-commerce in developing countries has become a reality as the move will help develop national economies.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb's Ernestina Serwaa Asante, Cécile Barayre-El Shami indicated that the e-commerce strategy when validated by all heads of Trade Ministries in the sub-region will develop the e-commerce market which will subsequently witness a hike in sales.

"E-commerce development in the region and globally is a reality. Digital economy is a reality in many countries so it has to happen in also developing regions. E-commerce can help diverse economies, help producers hooked up to international markets, help the development of national economies so it is both domestic and cross border especially when we look at the ECOWAS region and markets," she said.

"The strategy that we are currently preparing and hopefully validated today will be helping the region develop its e-commerce market," she added.

The Chief of Digital Economy Capacity-building Section at UNCTAD pointed out that e-commerce is another means to increase trade capacity online.

She, however, stated infrastructure, trade facilitation, legal framework, payment solutions online, skills of entrepreneurs, access to financing as some barriers to e-commerce.

Cécile Barayre-El Shami lauded her outfit's partner, The Netherlands for making an input in the e-commerce strategy.

Meanwhile, measures have been put in place to ensure successful trading online under e-commerce.

ESA/FNOQ