Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have signed a strategic agreement to enhance e-commerce and digital economy policies in the Kingdom. This collaboration aims to establish a comprehensive framework for Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector, including conducting a survey to evaluate the current landscape and aligning data with international best practices.
The agreement was signed by Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Commerce, Eman Al-Mutairi, during the 8th session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on E-Commerce and the Digital Economy in Geneva on May 12. In a separate announcement, UNCTAD revealed that Saudi Arabia has committed $1.4 million to support efforts to measure e-commerce and the digital economy.
UNCTAD’s latest report estimates that global e-commerce sales exceeded $27 trillion in 2022, spanning 43 developed and developing economies. Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector is also experiencing significant growth, with 40,953 businesses registered by the end of 2024, reflecting a 10% year-on-year increase.
Al-Mutairi, who is also the CEO of the Kingdom’s National Competitiveness Center, emphasized that the partnership with UNCTAD would further solidify Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the digital economy, helping businesses tap into the full economic potential of e-commerce and strengthening the Kingdom’s global competitiveness.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan acknowledged the challenges of accurately measuring e-commerce value and noted that this partnership will contribute to developing a solid evidence base to assess the e-commerce landscape in Saudi Arabia, as well as improve global measurement practices.
The collaboration between Saudi Arabia and UNCTAD will follow two key tracks. The domestic track will focus on assessing digital trade adoption and e-commerce transaction values in Saudi Arabia, while the international track will support a dedicated task group involving experts from over 25 countries and international organizations.
Saudi Arabia’s National Competitiveness Center has numerous international partnerships, with UNCTAD being one of its key collaborators in driving the Kingdom’s competitiveness and fostering economic development.
