Kigali  - A new joint initiative called Amplifying Digital Opportunities in Cross-Border Trade, virtually launched on October 11, is set to economically empower Rwanda’s small-scale cross-border traders, particularly women, youth, and persons with disabilities, through digital inclusion and regional integration.  The programme is supported by contributions from the European Union and the Government of Spain under the UN Joint SDG Fund’s Digital High-Impact Track.

It is implemented by Participating United Nations Organizations (PUNOs), involving the International Trade Centre (ITC) as the lead implementing agency, along with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), which plays an oversight and coordination role, ensuring the delivery of a unified 'One UN' approach.

The programme is a key component of the UN Joint SDG Fund’s Digital High-Impact Track, designed to harness digital innovation, data analytics, and emerging technologies to drive sustainable development. By leveraging these tools, the programme aims to maximize its impact by providing small-scale cross-border traders with access to digital platforms, financial services, and new markets, improving their livelihoods and promoting inclusive economic growth.

With women representing over 70% of small-scale cross-border traders, the programme places a strong emphasis on gender equality, empowering female traders as agents of social and economic transformation. It focuses on dismantling barriers that hinder women’s participation in digital trade by providing access to digital tools, financial literacy training, and market opportunities. By prioritizing gender-sensitive digital policy reforms and digitally empowering cross-border traders, the programme aligns with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST-I and II), the SMART Rwanda Master Plan, and Vision 2050.

The ADO-CBT programme also directly contributes to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) Agenda, advancing Rwanda’s integration into regional markets. Through enhanced digital infrastructure and policy harmonization, the initiative promotes smoother cross-border trade, improved logistics, and greater economic cooperation between Rwanda and its neighbors.

As articulated by His Excellency Mr. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, during the opening of the Biashara Conference on the AfCFTA in Kigali on 9 October, “Small and medium businesses are the backbone of Africa’s economy—but they should not remain medium and small.”

At the launch, the European Union highlighted the importance of supporting digital transformation efforts in the Great Lakes Region. “We are in the best possible position to achieve this goal in Rwanda, which has already emerged as a regional—and indeed global—leader in intra-regional trade and migration policies, and has already laid out clear plans to accelerate its own digital transformation journey,” noted EU Head of Cooperation in Rwanda, Michela Tomasella.

By investing in digital solutions, the ADO-CBT programme aligns with global development objectives, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation, reduced inequalities, and partnerships for the goals.

Note:

All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds, and programmes of the United Nations development system. We express sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and the Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and our private sector funding partners, in supporting this transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

For more information please contact Erika DeBona, edebona@iom.int or IOM Rwanda Public Information at pir@iom.int.