Session of intergovernmental expert group on e-commerce and digital economy held in United Nations chaired by Azerbaijan

The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Electronic Commerce and Digital Economy was held on 3-5 April in Geneva, Switzerland by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The main goal of the intergovernmental group of experts is to help developing countries benefit from e-commerce opportunities and overcome challenges emerging as a result of the uneven development of the digital economy.

The increasing role of digital data in the world economy, capacity building for data analytics and artificial intelligence, value and role of data in electronic commerce and the digital economy, the digital economy and its implications for inclusive trade, regulatory issues and difficulties in the field were discussed at the session of the group of experts representing over 100 countries.

Acting Director of State Fund for Development of Information Technologies under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Azer Bayramov presided over the opening session of the intergovernmental expert group. It is to be recalled that a representative of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies was elected chairman of the group at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Electronic Commerce and Digital Economy held in April last year by the UNCTAD.

Speaking at the event, UNCTAD Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi noted the successful activity of the intergovernmental expert group over the past year and praised the work carried out by Azerbaijan in the development of e-commerce.

It should be noted that E-Commerce Week 2019: From Digitalization to Development was also held in Geneva on 1-5 April. As a result of discussions held in the E-Commerce Week, concrete opportunities were considered to allow developing countries to obtain maximum benefit from e-commerce and the digital economy for development.

Different stakeholders came together at the event and discussed the key challenges emerging from digitalization and opportunities.