UN plays a pivotal role in drafting Ghana’s National E-commerce Strategy, a transformative blueprint aimed at driving inclusive digital trade & economic growth.
The United Nations in Ghana, in strong partnership with the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, has played a critical leadership role in the development of Ghana’s draft National E-commerce Strategy, a forward-looking document that seeks to harness the power of digital trade to transform the country’s economy.
At a high-level validation workshop held in Accra, senior government officials, development partners, private sector actors, civil society, and academia convened to review and refine the strategy. The event marked a major step in shaping Ghana’s digital economy landscape, with discussions focused on finalizing the strategy’s strategic objectives, implementation measures, and governance framework.
The strategy is of national significance, as it aims to enhance trade, stimulate innovation, create jobs, and empower micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those led by women and youth, to compete in the digital era. It also seeks to close the digital divide between urban and rural areas, ensuring that no Ghanaian is left behind.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the acting UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC), Mathias Ateng, National Peace and Development Advisor at the UNRC’s Office, described the strategy as “a transformational roadmap designed to unlock the full potential of digital trade as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth, job creation, and the formalisation of MSMEs.” He reiterated that the UN has been instrumental in drafting this strategy, bringing in global expertise, facilitating national consultations, and aligning it with international best practices.
The UN’s support has been delivered through its key agencies, UNCDF, UNDP, and UNCTAD, under the joint programme Leveraging Digital Ecosystems for Improved MSME Productivity of the Joint SDG Fund and funded by the European Union and 16 countries. UNCTAD provided technical guidance and capacity-building support throughout the drafting process.
UNCTAD’s Chief of the Digital Economy Capacity-Building Section, Madam Cecile Barayre-El Shami, reaffirmed the organization’s sustained collaboration with Ghana since 2021, noting that the strategy is a result of targeted efforts to build robust digital trade policies and strengthen institutional capacity at both national and regional levels.
Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi (MP), commended the United Nations for its indispensable role in shaping the strategy.
“This is not just a policy document, it is the beginning of a unified national effort to ensure e-commerce works for every Ghanaian,” he said.
The draft strategy is the product of over a year of intensive policy work and multi-stakeholder engagement, coordinated by the Ministry of Trade with ongoing and strategic support from the UN system. Its inclusive approach has been widely praised, with stakeholders acknowledging the value of the UN’s facilitative role in creating a national roadmap for digital transformation.
Originally published by UN Ghana.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
