Dutch funding set to boost UNCTAD’s work on e-commerce and the digital economy

Additional funding of USD$1.5 million was declared by the Dutch government for the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) eTrade Readiness Assessments. The funding, which was doubled for the 2021 to 2022 period, will help select African countries strengthen their readiness to engage in and benefit from e-commerce.  This will be done by supporting more countries in developing national e-commerce strategies, enhancing the measurement of e-commerce and the digital economy, and developing robust legal and regulatory frameworks for e-commerce. ‘We partner with UNCTAD to support countries in reaping the benefits from digitalisation,’ said Director of Sustainable Economic Development Steven Collet of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.