Keynote Speech: How Digital Trade

is a catalyst to enable more formal cross border trade in Africa

Presentation: “Keynote Speech”

Pamela Mar Managing Director, Digital Standards Initiative(DSI) International Chamber of Commerce

After a warm welcome and introduction from Anne Gaitha, Pamela introduced the DSI as the body which seeks to transition paper based documentation to a digitized version. The DSI is currently working with the private sector to make this possible. Digital options seek to simplify the copying process by transforming it into data. The data option also seeks to make it easier to secure data and make sure the transition from paper records to electronic records is much more secure and with fewer problems. The body will also connect resources to needs on the ground so that the electronic forms can be trusted as much as the paper copy. The move is expected to significantly lower the costs of operation.

Pamela Mar

The future of supply chains is digital. So far, 70 countries have ratified digital laws and many others are in the process of transitioning such moves. Many countries have started using digital forms of records in trade. An industry survey shows that digital records were moving more towards digital reliance than paper. The move has overtaken social records and financial records with many organizations having a digital footprint that even traces the environmental footprint. International business operations are now relying on digital records to be able to operate efficiently. She advises African businesses to push data protection, localization, and interoperability so that it can be a key agenda in the AfCFTA.

Pamela Mar.

The business community can then advocate for support in digitalization to make it possible to operate regionally and globally. Digitized supply chains have the added advantage of being in real-time. This makes participation easier because it is transparent and easier to grow. More jobs are then created as the business ecosystem shifts. Pamela concluded the presentation by calling for more participation with people from all regions on DSIs and ICC's social media platforms. She encouraged governments to include technical expertise from all sectors. Governments can then create an enabling environment through tax incentives and digital education from a basic level.

Anne Gaitha agreed with these sentiments, as she stated that the next generation will be digital natives. Pamela then encouraged the African region to compete and share their digital investment wealth through some collective innovation.

Watch this amazing Keynote from Pamela here https://youtu.be/mx1RlWHX7uY

Panel Discussion 6: Corporates' role in promoting digital trade in Africa/ The role of digital trade in implementing the AfCFTA

Moderator: Anne Gaitha, CEO -

Panelists:

Adetutu Talabi; Head Of Partnerships- Sidebrief Africa

Sammy Thuita; E-commerce Regional Customer Manager (SSA) -DHL

Michelle Chivunga; Founder/CEO /Investor- Global Policy House

Panel Discussion:

Anne began the session by introducing the panelists from diverse backgrounds. They included SME support through scaling, cross-border trade support through international courier services, and regional support on the implementation of the technology blockchain. Sammy kicked off the conversation by describing the shift to e-commerce as a way to grow the country along with any given business. DHL in particular works to meet evolving needs of traders among regions by engaging the governments. They use an e-commerce program called Power Up your Potential.

It offers trade awareness by bringing all stakeholders on board and expanding their potential and making choices more available.

Michelle then explained the AfCFTA in context with the leverage that it could give businesses across the globe. She spoke of blockchain as an enabling factor that would make it easy to trade with each other and create more value. She spoke of digital platforms as a catalyst for growth. Michelle called for ownership of the data and code to monetize it around the globe. The Global Policy House is in talks with the AfCFTA to put such measures in place. She encouraged African countries to monetize and get a competitive advantage through talent in the blockchain, smart contracts, artificial intelligence, and the digital platform economy in general. She also called for end-to-end digitalization.

“For us, we want to make sure that we invest in talent. The talent is going to generate you the GDP that you’re looking for,”

Michelle Chivunga

Adetutu spoke of the benefit of professional services in creating employment in a continent that is rich with human resources. The AfCFTA can provide avenues for regional opportunities that will leverage technology to facilitate regional cooperation among professionals.

Digital platforms make it possible for professional services to easily move across borders. The protocol on sales and services will need to facilitate mutual agreements that will be friendly and seamless. Michelle spoke of the secretariat’s focus on women and youth. She encourages countries to create an enabling environment by providing information on regulations and the importance of collecting data. Access to information and skills was the key to owning and earning from the digital economy. Michelle was keen to encourage internally driven investment markets so that the ownership through the production of youth and women could be dominated within the continent. Regulators were advised to work with the industry players as they made policies and regulations.

Sammy spoke of creating awareness of e-commerce readiness among the masses. The ‘Think global, Act local’ tag was emphasized to participants so that they would have a seamless process when trading between different regions. Sammy added that DHL also facilitates paperless trade as a way to give back to the community alongside consumer education.

“If

Sammy Thuita

DHL also sought to achieve sustainability by being well aligned with the opportunities in digital trade. The concern of data collection in Africa was also discussed with the gap in information being faulted for limiting decision-making.

Adetutu expressed confidence in the accelerating effect of digital trade in Africa. She credited part of that growth to the pandemic and to the need to diversify into other fields. The ability to raise seeds for digital-dependent businesses had also managed to grow in several markets across the continent. Her concern was the small uptake the fintech sector had in many markets. She encouraged the sector to spread in more nations and beyond the stronger economies and more technologically advanced nations. Michelle then discouraged the creation of code without purpose. She encouraged the use of code that was focused on solving a specific problem. She encouraged control and ownership of the source and open code so that consumer protection and code protection could be possible while untapped value. She encouraged the AfCFTA and the nations to create structures to protect intellectual property.

Adetutu did not think that harmonizing the education curriculum would build up trade and services. The idea was not realistic according to her because of the different cultures and different colonial influences present in every region. She was more intentional about coordination through working with what we already had and moving forward.

countries decided to go ahead and then that was when they decided to go forward…So realistically we need to go forward…we can then build up to harmonization across the board”

Adetutu Talabi

On the high cost of shipping, Sammy rationalized it using the logistics and volume metric. He said that the charges are determined by industry standards and conformations to customer promises. DHL was also investing in the market to align its service to the value proposition. He compared their pricing to the premium they provided in exchange. Michelle commented on data colonialism in the context of its value as it was considered the new oil. Data can be monetized to generate more income streams. She believed that it was important to protect data and make it advantageous because data ownership was ambiguous. Access to the right data sets was more important in that it made any situation more advantageous and easier to have a competitive advantage. She encouraged contextualization at a national level.

Sammy’s parting shot was that online ordering had taken over trade so logistics traders were engaged in creating solutions to increase efficiency and lower costs. Michelle concluded by encouraging the governments to include the informal economy and for individuals to leverage the digital economy to generate more jobs and increase the GDP. Untapping the value in the digital economy and accessing the information across other continents was the key. Adetutu closed by encouraging the government to create the environment for the development of digital infrastructure so that the innovators did not have to do all the manufacturing, building infrastructure, and providing education and growth.

Watch the 1st panel of day 2 here : https://youtu.be/WZn8oFsaEro

Panel Discussion 7: How African brands can take advantage of digital trade to increase market share

Moderator: Melissa Harvey; Brand Portfolio Director- The Village Entrepreneurship

Panelists:

Wangeci Gitata-Kiriga; Founder- Kijani Group

Joy Zenz; Founder African Women in Europe, CEO African Women in Trade, African Trade in Europe

Craig Chamberlain; Director -Made In Africa

Panel Discussion:

After Mellissa introduced and welcomed the panelists, Joy opened the session by advocating for digital trade by sharing the experience from her organization. Wangeci also sought to share her experience as a facilitator and Craig as a manufacturer and brand manager. Joy then shared her challenge with the women’s organization as she tried to transform the women’s mindset. According to Joy, women needed to know that they could transact trade digitally without dependence on help from anyone. Joy said that there were opportunities available, but there was an awareness gap. This is despite the fact that there were many free platforms with a lot of information like youtube. She encouraged the use of digital tools like online bookkeeping and training, as she wanted women to understand the full scope of trade.

Craig spoke about being trade ready through vetting to determine the quality of products and the range available. He continued to say that the majority of people were trade ready within their region. However, there was an information deficit when it came to cross-border trade. Business-to-business trade was also limited in the timeliness of meeting commitments. The