Smart Africa Alliance and AfDB launch $1.5m Institutional Support for Digital Payments and e-Commerce Policies for Cross-Border Trade Project to enhance e-commerce ecosystems across Africa

A $1.5 million project has been established by the African Development Fund and Smart Africa Alliance to harmonize e-commerce and digital trade regulations across 10 African nations.

The IDECT project (https://apo-opa.info/3L9ZNqA) will assess policy gaps in the digital trade and e-commerce ecosystems of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, the Republic of Congo, So Tomé and Prncipe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For governments, the corporate sector, and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), the project will see to the implementation of regional training and capacity-building programs with an emphasis on cross-border e-payment and e-commerce. 600 participants are anticipated for these activities, 60% of whom will be women and young people. Additionally, a certified gender-sensitive e-learning training program will be created and distributed to 2,500 participants, 60% of whom will be women, to address the special obstacles faced by women in digital trade and e-commerce.

A day before the 2023 Transform Africa Summit, which will take place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from April 26 to 28, the agreement was signed on Tuesday, April 25.

Lela Mokaddem, director general of the African Development Bank’s Southern Africa Region, called the IDECT a crucial step in advancing the continent’s digital trade and e-commerce environment.

According to her, “this initiative will support the development of standardized e-payment policies, capacity building, and gender-sensitive frameworks, ultimately fostering a digital trade ecosystem that fosters employment opportunities across the continent.

“The IDECT project demonstrates our commitment to fostering digital transformation and economic growth in Africa,” stated Lacina Koné, CEO of Smart Africa. We are establishing the groundwork for a vibrant digital trade and e-commerce ecosystem by resolving policy gaps and encouraging gender-sensitive training.

Click here (https://apo-opa.info/3L9ZNqA) for additional details about the IDECT Smart Africa project.