12 May 2026 · 6 photos

Side event on the role of e-commerce policy for sustainable economic Development

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary General for the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), attending the side event on the role of ecommerce

policy for sustainable economic development on May 12th, 2025 in Geneva. In the past

two decades, e-commerce has rapidly transformed how businesses and consumers

interact, enabling entrepreneurs, startups, MSMEs and large retailers to access global

markets. As the digital economy expands, so does the need for comprehensive e-

commerce policies that foster inclusive growth, sustainability and economic resilience.

Saudi Arabia provides a case study for this transformation, with a majority of its population

engaging in online shopping, supported by comprehensive policy development through the

Government’s Vision 2030. This side event, organized by the Permanent Mission of the

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in collaboration with UNCTAD, will explore how countries can

develop inclusive e-commerce ecosystems through policy frameworks, international

cooperation and capacity-building efforts, such as UNCTAD’s eTrade Readiness

Assessments and E-commerce Strategies. By sharing experiences from different regions,

the discussion will highlight good practices, governance mechanisms, and strategies to

address global e-commerce challenges, including bridging the digital divide, minimizing

the sector’s environmental footprint (the topic of the eighth session of the

Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-commerce and the Digital Economy) and

strengthening measurement frameworks.

6 photos

Share