Thirty-four women-led businesses in the Dominican Republic have been selected as beneficiaries of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, which was launched by the WTO Secretariat and the International Trade Centre (ITC) in 2024. The announcement was made in Santo Domingo on 9 December, marking a significant step in expanding the WEIDE Fund's implementation across beneficiary countries.

The call for applications in the Dominican Republic received over 200 submissions from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Following a competitive evaluation process, 34 companies were selected. The beneficiaries will receive tailored support aimed at strengthening their digital capabilities, financial readiness and export competitiveness.

Implementation of the WEIDE Fund is currently underway in four countries, in partnership with four business support organizations:  ProDominicana, the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

WTO Deputy Director-General Johanna Hill said: "According to WTO estimates, the Dominican Republic's digital service exports reached nearly $2 billion in 2024, a tenfold increase compared to 2005 driven by improvements in connectivity and the progressive strengthening of digital skills. The country is well-positioned to continue expanding in this area."

"However, the gap in the country's and the region's share in global digital services trade remains small and underscores the need to keep investing in capabilities, infrastructure, financing access and institutional modernization so that more businesses-especially those led by women-can fully integrate into the global digital economy," DDG Hill said.

ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton said: "We have to be bold in our ambitions for what we want the WEIDE Fund to deliver. We owe it not just to the women entrepreneurs with us today, but those that we hope will join us tomorrow, and in years to come. I encourage the full ecosystem around the private sector-including small businesses and larger firms, financial institutions, digital platforms and development actors-to work with us."

Biviana Riveiro, Executive Director of ProDominicana said: "Being part of the first phase of the WEIDE Fund's implementation is recognition of the work that the Dominican Government and ProDominicana have been promoting. Various institutions are advancing public policies in this regard, and our institution has consistently supported the entrepreneurial ecosystem of women-led enterprises for more than five years, with the aim of strengthening women's participation in international trade."

Made possible through the support of the United Arab Emirates, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022T Legacy Fund, and the Kingdom of Bahrain, the WEIDE Fund is a US$ 50 million fund designed to help women-led MSMEs overcome obstacles to trade by improving access to finance, digital skills, global markets and support networks.

In every WEIDE Fund beneficiary country, the beneficiaries will take part in a two-day programme combining a high-level launch ceremony with in-person training and capacity-building, followed by continuous technical support throughout the year. In the Dominican Republic, the launch event on 9 December was preceded by a day of training to strengthen leadership, communication, and other essential skills before the official launch.

The announcement follows a series of technical workshops and training sessions held in the Dominican Republic starting in November, introducing the participants to the WEIDE Fund's methodology and laying the groundwork for the 12-month programme.

More information on the WEIDE Fund can be accessed here.