With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face.
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Elevate Global Access Through E-Commerce (E-GATE) in Central Asia is a World Bank program launched in 2023, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UK FCDO) under the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) program. E-GATE seeks to alleviate poverty by opening new opportunities and broadening market access for Central Asian producers and smaller business entities.
E-commerce is a driver of economic development in our globalized world, bringing traditional commerce online and simplifying trade. In 2024, global B2C e-commerce sales hit $6 trillion, surpassing the GDPs of Germany and Japan, while B2B sales reached $20 trillion, roughly equal to the GDPs of the USA or China.
E-GATE will champion and grow e-commerce in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, working with governments, business associations, and the private sector by:
Using the “Listening 2” (L2) tool, E-GATE surveyed over 1,500 households in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan in 2023-2024, showing that the vast majority of households shop online by placing orders through social media or messenger apps rather than through marketplaces.
In 2024, the E-GATE team is implementing an E-GATE component focused on onboarding selected producers (up to 100 firms) from the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and providing financial and non-financial support for their membership on the Alibaba B2B marketplace. Non-financial support includes conducting thematic workshops and webinars, providing individual hands-on support for selected producers, and more. The goal of the component is to help local producers increase their income by selling on cross-border e-commerce marketplaces.
EGATE is funded by the UK FCDO under the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) program.
Development institutions
IFC, USAID, ITC, CIPE, UNCTAD.
Government Agencies
Kyrgyz Republic: Ministry of Economy; the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic; National Statistical Committee.
Tajikistan: Ministry of Economic Development and Trade; Smart City Dushanbe; Export Agency under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan; Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Uzbekistan: Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade; Ministry of Digital Technologies; Export Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade; National Agency of Perspective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
NGOs and Business Associations
Kyrgyz Republic: E-commerce Association of Kyrgyzstan; Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Tajikistan: National Association of Small and Medium Businesses of Tajikistan; Association of E-commerce Participants of Tajikistan; Association of Microfinance Organizations of Tajikistan; Civil Internet Policy Initiative; Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Uzbekistan: E-commerce Association of Uzbekistan; Sellers Association of Uzbekistan; FinTech Association of Uzbekistan; Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.
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