Small business, big in e-commerce – High-level event in the margins of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference

 Online 
Geneva
ITC

Hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the International Trade Centre (ITC), this event provides a platform to discuss concrete challenges that SMEs in developing countries face in the digital economy.

Participants will also explore how new digital trade rules can contribute to bridging the digital divide. In that regard, the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on e-commerce provides an excellent opportunity to address some of the challenges that SMEs in developing countries may face, for example through facilitation (e-signatures, paperless trade) and trust-building measures (consumer protection, protection of personal data). Rules on these important topics for the digital economy could benefit customers and citizens wherever they are based.

Speakers:

H.E. Liesje Schreinemacher, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director or the International Trade Centre

Hon. Betty C. Maina, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development of Kenya

Moulaye Tabouré, Co-founder & CEO, ANKA, will join us live from Côte d’Ivoire.

Moderated by ITC’s Chief of Sector and Enterprise Competitiveness Section Robert Skidmore, the discussion will focus on:

  • Practical challenges for SME participation in e-commerce and the digital economy that can be addressed through the WTO negotiations;
  • Key issues for developing and least developed countries in the JSI negotiations on e-commerce and how to ensure an inclusive outcome of the negotiations; and
  • Effective technical assistance to support SMEs’ participation in e-commerce.

We look forward to welcoming you at the International Trade Centre (ITC), 54-56 rue de Montbrillant, Geneva.