(Ecofin Agency) - The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) asked Senegal, Togo and Burkina Faso to initiate infrastructure and legal reforms to fully capture the opportunities presented by e-commerce.

In a report published during the regional forum on e-commerce being held on October 9-10, 2018, in Ouagadougou, the UNCTAD in collaboration with ECOWAS estimates that the reforms represent “a win-win strategy that should be pursued because E-commerce is now a key tool to foreign markets”.

The UNCTAD explains that the regional forum is the first step towards the elaboration of a regional plan for E-commerce promotion. It will contribute to the creation of a digital ecosystem that will host a dedicated E-commerce strategy which Senegal, Togo and Burkina Faso still lack.

For the institution, poor and expensive infrastructure, as well as bad integration of logistics services by operators, are the reasons why the delivery of goods and services bought online is still difficult. There is also limited competition in online payment solutions despite the increased dynamism in the development of electronic payment systems.

Essossimna Legzim-Balouki, Togo’s trade minister, indicates that the UNCTAD’s review identified “the development of E-commerce as one of the key sectors to promote trade and eliminate barriers”.  She also explains that her ministry is “resolutely determined to make E-commerce a powerful driver for economic growth, inclusive trade and job creation in Togo”.