Fast-tracking implementation of eTrade readiness assessments

E-commerce and digital economy are powerful drivers to harness the potential of information and communications technologies to achieve the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, in areas such as women economic empowerment (Goal 5.b), productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation (Goal 8.3), financial inclusion and integration into value chains (Goal 9.3), building export capacities (Goal 17.11). The UNCTAD eTrade Readiness Assessment Programme (eT Ready) was designed to provide a thorough overview of the e-commerce ecosystem in Least Developed Countries. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis has accelerated the need for digital solutions, tools, and services. However, it has also exposed the wide chasm between the connected and the unconnected.