EIF | UNCTAD

Senegal’s e-commerce sector helps country cope with COVID-19

Trade ministry fast-tracks measures to ease access to essential goods and services during the pandemic.

 

As the coronavirus pandemic rages, several brick-and-mortar businesses in Senegal are moving online to continue operating.

The government is facilitating this transition and the delivery of essential supplies by fast-tracking the implementation of e-commerce policies and reforms.

The country’s trade ministry has created an e-commerce platform that provides easy access to websites of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that sell essential goods.

The platform facilitates the distribution of necessary food, hygiene and health products, federates the SMEs and encourages more traditional businesses to go online.

“We want to ensure people have access to the things they need to ride out this crisis,” said Senegalese Trade Minister Assome Aminata Diatta. “We are also developing an ecosystem favourable to e-commerce and local production.”

“We commend the Senegalese government for taking steps that are helping pave the way for the country’s digital transition,” said Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of UNCTAD’s technology and logistics division.

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