Regional Workshop on Digital Trade and E-Commerce in the MENA Region
Economic Development and Employment
19 October 2026, Cairo – Working Towards a Regional Roadmap for Cooperation and Harmonization to Support Cross-Border Digital Trade and E-Commerce. The UfM in collaboration with regional project Digital Trade and E-Commerce in the MENA Region, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by the European Union, and co-implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), will organize the Regional Workshop on Digital Trade and E-Commerce in the MENA Region on 19 October 2026 in Cairo, Egypt, back-to-back with the UfM Economic Forum scheduled on 20 October 2026.
Digital trade and e-commerce are key drivers of inclusive economic growth, job creation, and regional integration. Across the Euro-Mediterranean region progress towards a cohesive and enabling digital trade ecosystem remains uneven. While several countries have adopted national strategies and regulatory frameworks, important challenges persist, including fragmented regulatory environments, limited cross-border interoperability, barriers to SME participation in e-commerce, and gaps in digital payments, logistics, and data governance.
The workshop will bring together government representatives from ministries of trade, digital transformation, data protection, and customs, alongside EU representatives, private sector actors, e-commerce platforms, digital payment providers, logistics companies, and SME associations and development partners from across the Euro-Mediterranean area.
Aiming at enhancing dialogue, collaboration, and coordinated action in the MENA region on digital trade and e-commerce. Discussions will focus on enabling regulatory frameworks for digital trade and e-commerce, consumer protection and trust in cross-border transactions, data protection and privacy, and cross-border digital payment.
