lighting, Diplomacy

Capacity building session: e-commerce and the digital economy

06 October 2022

Event description

Date: 7 November 2022, 13:00-17:30

Place: Attic floor, WMO Building, 7bis, Avenue de la Paix, Geneva

Attention: confirmation of attendance is necessary for accessing WMO premises. Please send an e-mail to geneva@diplomacy.edu 

The session will place e-commerce in the broader context of the digital economy, explaining how it relates to frequently used expressions such as ‘digital transformation’, the ‘4th Industrial Revolution’, and ‘data economy’.

Two data-intensive business models will be discussed in depth:

  • Digitisation of trade
  • Business model of ‘free’ online platforms based on ‘ad tech’

From an international regulatory perspective, an overview of discussions and negotiations taking place at the World Trade Organization  (WTO) will be presented, covering the Work Programme on electronic commerce and the Joint Statement Initiative on E-commerce. Particular attention will be given to negotiations on data flows and access to the source code of computer programs. Finally, the session will tackle the importance of preferential agreements as instruments to regulate e-commerce and the main provisions they encompass.

This session is organised by Diplo, and is part of the broader training programme Pioneers of Digitalization: Capacity Building for the African Missions to the United Nations Office in Geneva delivered with Microsoft and the CyberPeace Institute. The workshop will take place in situ and participation is open only to the personnel of permanent missions to the United Nations Office in Geneva of African Union countries.

For more information on the session and to register, kindly contact us at geneva@diplomacy.edu.