The Republic of Guinea is taking proactive steps to expedite the expansion of its e-commerce sector by seeking a collaborative partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The move towards this strategic alliance was initiated during conversations held at the World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva, involving Guinea’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and Digital Economy and the Director of Technology, Innovation, and Research at UNCTAD.
A press statement issued by the Guinean ministry highlighted that the primary objective of these discussions was to deliberate on potential cooperative efforts between Guinea and UNCTAD, with a particular focus on bolstering e-commerce.
During the meeting, the Guinean Minister provided an overview of the nation’s digital landscape, acknowledging the existing hurdles while also emphasizing the promising opportunities for advancement in the digital arena.
One of the key requests from Guinea was for UNCTAD’s expertise in crafting a regulatory framework conducive to the growth of e-commerce. Additionally, Guinea sought assistance in enhancing the digital competencies of its citizens through specialized technical training programs.
UNCTAD welcomed Guinea’s requests and pledged to facilitate connections with appropriate resources within the United Nations framework, aiming to strengthen both digital and postal services in the country.
Furthermore, UNCTAD underlined the critical need for a synergistic approach between Guinea’s Ministry of Posts and the Ministry of Commerce to foster a conducive environment for trade and e-commerce.
This engagement is part of the Guinean government’s broader commitment to driving progress in the e-commerce industry. According to data from the Foundation for E-commerce and Distance Selling (Fevad), the sector was already valued at approximately $10 million in 2020 and has been experiencing a robust annual growth rate of 20%.
