The ecomConnect
programme

The ecomConnect programme is seeking to develop small business digital capabilities and improve e-commerce accessibility in developing and least developed countries for sustainable and inclusive growth.

 
The ecomConnect programme is part of the International Trade Centre (ITC) – the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.
 
The programme’s goal is to drive the digital inclusion of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and offer them favourable conditions for online trading. The programme supports MSMEs in developing and least developed countries in their journey to sell online through its tailored online and face-to-face learning program, project-related technical assistance and field support, and digital tools, backed by research and innovative solutions, collaborative structures, and partnerships.
 

The ecomConnect programme is actively supported by several private sector partners who provide favourable rates and access to their e-commerce platforms and services, support promotional initiatives, and contribute to the e-commerce training and capacity-building methodology of the programme.

How we
Support
Companies

Advisory and research services

To support small businesses with their e-commerce development and expansion and resolve specific barriers, notably to access payment solutions, logistics services and e-commerce services.

Online and face-to-face training

Market research
Brand Positioning
Digital content creation
eStore development
Online payment solutions
Packaging
Shipping and Logistics
Digital Promotion
Customer Relationship Management

Partnership with private sector

To provide key support to small businesses and enable them to share costs and access services essential to e-commerce

Promotional events

To connect e-commerce businesses to international customers through online campaigns, trade fairs and exhibitions.

our projects

Africa FAN

Africa Fashion and Textile Accelerator Network (Africa FAN), jointly implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the International Trade Centre (ITC), aimed to increase the sourcing of sustainably produced textiles from emerging textile and apparel production hubs in Africa, thereby creating jobs for the region’s growing workforce. The ecomConnect team stepped in to help Ghanaian MSMEs with marketing and branding, through a capacity-building programme to optimize their marketing strategies, improve their digital content and connect to new online sales channels.

Funded by:
Location
Africa, Ghana
Read more:
Middle East and North Africa: E-commerce Acceleration Programme

The programme initiated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and supported by ICC-ESCWA Centre of Entrepreneurship and International Trade Center (ITC), aimed to contribute to the growth of the digital economy and stimulates a dynamic entrepreneurship environment across the Arab region and to digitize 100 small and medium-sized enterprises from the Arab region with the goal to keep up with the rapidly changing economy, creating new jobs, cutting costs, streamlining operations, boosting sales via online channels, and reaching regional and international markets.

Participated businesses benefited from ITC’s business and technical expertise, e-commerce training, one-on-one coaching, and support, in addition to exposure and access to networking opportunities.

Read more:
ecomConnect for SheTrades Commonwealth

The programme aims to increase the participation of women-owned businesses in trade in order to increase economic growth and job creation in Commonwealth countries.

ITC's ecomConnect team has coached small businesses, ranging from the information technology (IT) and tourism sectors to online retailers, to improve their websites, social media accounts and overall visibility on search engines.

Funded by:
Location
Mauritius, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Indonesia
Read more:
Women and E-Commerce

Women and E-commerce project linking Central American Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) with the Global Gifts and Home Decoration Market aimed to improve the export performance of women-owned businesses from Central America to sell online.

The project beneficiaries were 200 women-owned businesses involved in the sale and export of handicrafts for the gift and home decoration industries. Alongside work to improve product quality and design, the women-led businesses were trained and prepared to be listed on international online marketplaces such as Etsy and eBay, develop and optimize their own websites, use different digital marketing channels to generate traffic and sales, receive online payments, prepare orders for shipment, and provide quality customer service.

Funded by:
Partners:
Location
Central America, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
Read more:
Ready4Trade Central Asia

The Ready4Trade Central Asia project is a joint initiative of the European Union (EU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

This project aims to contribute to the overall sustainable and inclusive economic development of Central Asia by boosting intra-regional and international trade in the region.

The e-commerce component supports 200 small businesses and artisans with capacity building, advisory services and awareness-raising activities to trade through online channels.

Funded by:
Partners:
Location
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Read more:
E-commerce for Women-led Businesses

Under the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), ITC's ecomConnect team implemented the E-commerce for Women-led Businesses project in Lebanon and Tunisia to support women-led small businesses to access new markets through e-commerce platforms and improve their e-commerce-related business environment and infrastructure.

Funded by:
Location
Lebanon, Tunisia

Our tools

Our work directly contributes to SDGs 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 17