Summary of the aid for trade session: Digital connectivity for development - experiences on digital trade of SVEs

communication from Guatemala, on behalf of the SVE group

The following communication, dated 10 October 2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Guatemala, on behalf of the Group of Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs).

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1  Introduction

1.1.  This submission relates to the discussion on 27 June 2024 during the 9^th Global Review of Aid for Trade under the session "Digital connectivity for development - experiences on digital trade of SVEs".

1.2.  The rapid acceleration of digital connectivity presents both challenges and opportunities for developing countries. The digital trade gap remains a persistent issue on the international agenda for these nations. The session aimed to showcase the experiences and challenges encountered by Small Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) to identify areas where Aid for Trade can assist in crafting policies to facilitate the transition from traditional offline to online trade. The future of global trade lies in digital commerce, and it is essential to ensure that this transformation is inclusive, fostering the full integration of SVEs into the multilateral trading system. This session contributed to the implementation of the Ministerial Decision on the Work Program for SVEs, focusing specifically on item 1 related to the digital economy.

1.3.  The session featured the following speakers:

·_              Ana Libertad Guzmán, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guatemala;

·_              Usha Chandnee Dwarka-Canabady, Ambassador, Mauritius;

·_              Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of the Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD;

·_              Tyesha Turner, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Jamaica;

·_              Alejandro Panameño, Subdirector de Innovación y Competitividad del Ministerio de Economía, El Salvador; and

·_              Omaira Saucedo Bendek, Chief Marketing Officer & Co-Founder, tuGerente.com.