The WTO launched on 3 March a new online training course aimed at building the digital trade capacities of the WTO’s developing and least-developed country members. The course is part of the WTO's ongoing efforts to strengthen the knowledge and skills of trade officials and other stakeholders through activities led by the WTO’s Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation.

The course, titled “Key technical concepts underpinning digital trade”, aims to build participants' understanding of the key concepts underpinning digital trade from a global perspective. Although it has been designed specifically for trade officials and policymakers working on digital trade issues, it is open to other stakeholders interested in broadening their understanding of these matters. The course is available on the WTO e-Learning platform.

The topics covered in the course are electronic authentication, signatures, payments and documents, cryptography, and standards for cross-border paperless trade.

The course, which comprises two modules and various interactive tools, is part of a series of training courses on trade in the digital era. Future courses will cover WTO rules related to digital trade, emerging technologies, and digital trade provisions in regional trade agreements.

The WTO’s e-Learning programme provides a range of online courses designed to enhance the knowledge and capacities of trade officials and other stakeholders worldwide. The courses cover a wide spectrum of trade-related issues, combining expert insights with interactive learning tools. They are offered at level 1 (basic) and level 2 (intermediate) of the WTO’s Progressive Learning Strategy. Completing these courses is often a prerequisite for accessing advanced WTO training and technical assistance programmes available to WTO developing and least-developed member governments.

More information about the WTO’s e-Learning offerings can be found here.