Evaluate UN budgets and programmes as an AI Secretary-General

THCE04 E-commerce and Digital Economy (ECDE) Programme

The ECDE Programme aims at enhancing inclusive and sustainable development gains from e-commerce and the digital economy for people and businesses in developing countries, particularly LDCs. It provides a unique platform for: · Generating findings from research and analysis to enable governments and other stakeholders to better understand the implications of economic digitalization for sustainable development. This includes the Digital Economy Report flagship publication, thematic studies, technical notes and statistics related to e-commerce and the digital economy. · Providing assistance to policymakers in developing countries to strengthen their capacities to adapt the policy environment to digital disruptions. This includes assistance with assessing the state-of-play of the e-commerce enabling environment and issuing recommendations for overcoming barriers and bottlenecks identified (eTrade Readiness Assessments), as well as assistance with formulating E-Commerce Strategies and Action Plans and supporting their implementation. Other technical assistance includes support related to e-commerce legal frameworks and statistics. · Fostering intergovernmental consensus and global multi-stakeholder dialogue for a more coordinated approach on e-commerce and the digital economy from a development perspective. This includes the work of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on E-commerce and the Digital Economy (fostering dialogue on the development dimension of e-commerce and the digital economy among UNCTAD member states) and the Working Group on Measuring E-commerce and the Digital Economy (addressing the lack of reliable statistical data in this area). Other activities include the eTrade for all initiative, which seeks to promote more collaborative efforts for the development of e-commerce, the organization of the UNCTAD eWeek and the collaboration with other parts of the UN (such as the Global Digital Compact and the World Summit on the Information Society), the G20, the BRICS and beyond. · The Programme also has a dedicated component that focuses on promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in an increasingly digital economy and society by working directly with women digital entrepreneurs in developing countries to raise the profiles of successful women digital entrepreneurs through eTrade for Women, change stereotypes and bring their perspectives to the forefront of policymaking for more inclusive digital ecosystems.