The Netherlands has announced that it will provide $10-million to intergovernmental organisation the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) to help developing countries benefit more from e-commerce and the digital economy and facilitate business and investment.  

Unctad secretary-general Rebeca Grynspan and Netherlands Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Minister Liesje Schreinemacher signed an agreement on January 17 for the financial contribution.  

“We greatly appreciate the Netherlands’ increased support for our work on e-commerce and the digital economy, and business and investment facilitation,” Grynspan said. 

She said the support underscores the growing importance of digitalisation for inclusive and sustainable development in a time of multiple global crises. 

"The Netherlands appreciates Unctad’s contribution to global digitalisation and linking it to improving business and investment opportunities. We are therefore happy to continue our support and hope other donors will follow the Netherlands in its support for this important programme," Schreinemacher said. 

BRIDGING DIGITAL AND DATA DIVIDES 

According to the agreement, $6-million will be dedicated to research and technical cooperation activities under Unctad’s e-commerce and digital economy programme. 

The funds will support the integration of developing countries into the digital economy and enable the benefits of digitalisation to reach all people and businesses.  

While the Covid-19 pandemic revealed the growing importance of e-commerce, it also exposed digital and data divides between developing and developed countries. The funds will boost Unctad’s capacity to meet this growing demand for e-commerce and help bridge the divides. 

The Netherlands’ long-standing support to the programme has contributed to building more gender-inclusive digital economies and fostering partnerships to support e-commerce development in low-income countries. 

STRENGTHENING BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT FACILITATION 

A further $4-million will fund Unctad’s efforts to strengthen digital government services for small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) and international investors. 

It will also support enterprise development, accounting and reporting for SMMEs to strengthen business facilitation. 

To boost investment, Unctad will use the funds to help strengthen facilitation mechanisms and institutions promoting both national and international investment policies.  

The Netherlands’ support has, thus far, strengthened digital business and investment facilitation in six countries in Africa and one each in Asia and Latin America. 

It has supported the formalisation of more than 400 000 SMMEs and contributed to key publications, including Unctad’s Sustainable Development Goals Investment Trends Monitor and its policy guide on foreign direct investment and gender equality.