UNCTAD 16 Digital for development forum

Your Excellency, Mr. James Baxter, Ambassador of Australia to the WTO;

Your Excellency, Ms. Merewalesi Falemaka, Permanent Representative to the Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Islands Forum to the WTO,

Your Excellency, Mr. Lansana Gberie, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva,

Dear Ms. Carla Natalie Barnett, Secretary-General of CARICOM,

Dear Ms. Helge Elisabeth Zeitler, Director for UN and EU Affairs, at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development;

Dear Mr. Rajiv Babooram, Adviser in Commonwealth Secretariat,

Dear Ms. Giulia Ajmone Marsan, Head of Startups and Digital Inclusion, ERIA,

Dear Ms. Vena Arielle Ahouansou, Founder and CEO of Kea Medicals in Benin, and UNCTAD's eTrade for Women Advocate for Francophone Africa;

Dear Ms. Angeline Tham, Founder and CEO of Angkas in the Philippines, and UNCTAD's eTrade for Women Advocate for Southeast Asia;

Dear Ms. Alisa Sydow, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at ESCP Business School in London, and founder of Nampelka;

Dear moderators,

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Digital for Development Forum — a gathering dedicated to how digitalization is reshaping our economies and societies.

Today, technological change is transforming our world at a pace once unimaginable. Digital technologies are changing how we produce, trade and connect:

• Artificial intelligence is driving new business models and enabling entrepreneurs to scale faster than ever.
• Blockchain and digital payment systems are unlocking cross-border commerce, strengthening regional value chains.
• Digital platforms are connecting startups, innovators, and consumers across borders, fostering integration and inclusive growth.

While digital technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to advance inclusion, resilience, and prosperity, they are also deeply disruptive — creating both winners and losers.

Still, 2.6 billion people remain offline. Too many women, young people, and communities in developing countries are excluded from the digital economy.

Without deliberate action, digitalization may widen inequalities rather than close them.

Ensuring that the digital revolution becomes a driver of development is one of the most urgent challenges of our time — and lies at the heart of this Forum.

This afternoon, our discussions will focus on two key dimensions of digitalization central to building a more inclusive digital future and to UNCTAD’s mission: One, Women digital entrepreneurs, and two, Digital opportunities in the Global South.

On Women Digital Entrepreneurs,

I want to reinforce that to make the digital economy truly inclusive, it must offer opportunities for all — and be shaped by both women and men.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action — a landmark global commitment to gender equality. Likewise, the Global Digital Compact, adopted just a year ago, calls for “expanding inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all.” Turning these commitments into tangible results remains a shared challenge, and a responsibility demanding innovation and partnership across sectors.

In this forum, we especially want to amplify the voices of women digital entrepreneurs in the Global South — women who are driving digital transformation within their communities and ecosystems.

UNCTAD’s recent study, Breaking Down Barriers for Women Entrepreneurs: Insights from Africa, highlights both the opportunities and the persistent challenges in this space. Digital platforms and cross-border e-commerce are helping women overcome traditional barriers, expand internationally, and create jobs in their communities. Yet, systemic obstacles remain — from limited access to finance, digital infrastructure, and skills, to enduring gender biases and policy gaps.

What is clear is that when women entrepreneurs are empowered to fully participate in digital trade, the benefits extend far beyond individual success stories. Their innovation and leadership strengthen resilience, generate jobs, and drive inclusive growth.

The second dimension is: Digital Opportunities in the Global South

And here, across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, countries are demonstrating how digital tools can strengthen regional value chains, boost trade, and foster cooperation.

However, many still face significant hurdles: uneven infrastructure, limited digital skills, fragmented regulations, and systems not yet ready for cross-border digital trade. These constraints limit countries’ ability to fully seize the opportunities of the digital economy.

While digital delivery is driving growth in global services trade, digitally less advanced countries are falling behind. For example, the share of digitally deliverable services exports from the Least Developed Countries has declined over the past decade — from 0.26 per cent to just 0.17 per cent. Similarly, cross-border e-commerce remains limited within most developing regions.

Therefore, in the second session, we want to explore how regional integration can unlock digital potential — by learning from success stories and tackling the barriers that still hold us back. Building resilient, competitive, and inclusive digital economies requires shared effort, vision, and collaboration.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The promise of a digital economy for all will only be realized if it is inclusive and equitable.
Digital transformation is not neutral — it reflects the choices, priorities, and policies we put in place. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that it becomes a tool for empowerment, leaving no one behind.

UNCTAD is proud to work alongside member States and regional organizations on this journey — strengthening digital readiness, supporting entrepreneurship, especially women-led ventures, and advancing regional integration.

Together, we can make digitalization a force for inclusion, opportunity, and shared prosperity.

I wish you fruitful discussions and look forward to the ideas and partnerships that will emerge from today’s dialogue.

Thank you.