PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Pan-African e-Commerce Initiative is a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It aims at improving the preconditions for companies in selected African countries to participate in cross-border e-Commerce. The core problem is that essential prerequisites for African companies to participate in cross-border electronic trade have not been met, including the availability of electronic payment systems, the trust of consumers and companies in e-Commerce, and beneficial regulatory frameworks.

Following a comprehensive assessment of the cross-border e-Commerce ecosystem in the region undertaken by the EAC, ICON-INSTITUT GmbH has been commissioned to support the EAC Secretariat in developing a participatory regional e-Commerce strategy to harmonise approaches across EAC member states. The strategy envisages close cooperation with the private sector at regional and international level to help exploit the potential for cross-border trade through e-Commerce and formulate policy recommendations for government decision-makers.

(4410031)