UNCTAD proposes a roadmap to help Tuvalu implement a digital economy development agenda
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s Rapid eTrade Readiness Assessment of Tuvalu was launched in December 2019 to pinpoint the challenges and opportunities for e-commerce to prosper and hence support the national development agenda in Tuvalu. On top of these challenges, education and capacity building of both producers and consumers, trust in new technologies, geographic location and fragmentation across the nine islands, and poor Internet infrastructure. The lack of a legal and regulatory framework to support digital transformation is yet another challenge. Currently, there is a cybercrime law but still no legislation for electronic transactions, data protection, or online consumer protection in Tuvalu. Coordination among different stakeholders was also highlighted as a key element to the support of a proper e-commerce ecosystem. ‘We will also need the support of development partners to help facilitate e-commerce,’ emphasised senior trade officer Haulagi.
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