The Elevate Global Access Through E-Commerce (E-GATE) initiative aims to alleviate poverty by opening new opportunities and increasing market access for Central Asian producers and smaller business entities (SBEs), reads a World Bank press release.

The E-GATE Central Asia programme, which launched in 2023, is a World Bank programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO) under the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) programme.

E-commerce is driving economic development in a globalized world, moving traditional trade online and simplifying trade. In 2024, global B2C e-commerce sales reached $6 trillion, surpassing the GDP of Germany and Japan, while B2B sales reached $20 trillion, roughly equivalent to the GDP of the United States or China.

E-GATE will support and develop e-commerce in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by cooperating with governments, business associations and the private sector through:

  • Development of an e-commerce readiness index for Central Asia;
  • Providing capacity building opportunities in business intelligence, e-commerce analytics (including live e-commerce) and engaging local SMEs in international e-commerce markets;
  • Organizing awareness events to promote local producers worldwide and attract global e-commerce players and potential investors to the region;
  • Measuring e-commerce volume through World Bank “Listening 2” study;
  • Providing analytical assistance in updating legal documents related to the regulation of e-commerce in Central Asian countries.

E-GATE, using the Listening 2 (L2) tool, surveyed over 1,500 households in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan in 2023-2024. The results showed that the vast majority of households shop online, placing orders through social media or messenger apps, rather than through marketplaces.

In 2024, the E-GATE team is implementing the E-GATE component focused on onboarding selected manufacturers (up to 100 companies) from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and providing financial and non-financial support for their membership in the Alibaba B2B marketplace. Non-financial support includes conducting thematic workshops and webinars, providing one-on-one practical support to selected manufacturers, and more. The aim of the component is to help local manufacturers increase their income by selling on cross-border e-commerce markets.