The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Tajikistan Chamber of Commerce and Trade have introduced the Ready4Trade Central Asia project component on electronic commerce during a special online event held on 07 April 2021. Both the public and private sectors joined this online meeting to get first-hand information about activities planned to support Tajik companies, especially those led by women: to do business online, to reach out to new markets through e-commerce activities , and to understand the rules and regulations they need to comply with to get their goods across the border.
Saidmumin Kamolov, ITC Tajikistan National Program Manager: ‘The project will review the e-commerce ecosystem in Tajikistan and will subsequently develop and provide policy recommendations to improve the digital trade environment in the country. ITC will also build the Tajik private sector ability, especially of women-led businesses, to enter new digital markets and strengthen their presence where they are already active. Ready4Trade’s support will cover the whole chain of digital trade, including logistics, e-payment systems, digital marketing, IT services, and so on.’
Manzura Rustamova, Deputy Head of Tajikistan Chamber of Commerce and Trade (CCI), the main implementing partner of Ready4Trade’s e-commerce component, conveyed the voice of the 800 business members of the CCI, especially those exporting or doing business online, as to ensure maximum impact of the activities planned under the project. The CCI is a large union with an active Council on the Development of E-commerce.
Participants stressed the importance of building a strong legal infrastructure on e-commerce and the need to develop a better environment for the digital economy in Tajikistan. This is crucial now more than ever, as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in e-commerce and accelerated digital transformation.
With the project ‘Ready4Trade Central Asia’, the European Union (EU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) are joining forces to contribute to the overall sustainable and inclusive economic development of Central Asia by boosting intra-regional and international trade in the region. Beneficiaries of the Ready4Trade Central Asia project include governments, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular women led enterprises, and Business Support Organizations (BSOs). More information: www.intracen.org/Ready4Trade