NAIROBI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday urged African countries to embrace online trading that is key to boost the continent's economic growth and integration agenda.
Kenyatta who spoke at the Africa e-commerce week underway in Nairobi said that digital economy holds key to realization of inclusive growth, shared prosperity and stability in the world's second largest continent.
"Digital commerce will contribute to advancement of Africa's economic and integration agenda," Kenyatta told ministers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and regulators attending a five-day summit in Nairobi.
"It will promote intra-African trade, ease cross-border communication and payments. We must focus on policy realignment to enhance the continent's readiness to trade electronically," he added.
Kenya is hosting the inaugural Africa e-commerce summit in conjunction with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), EU and the African Union that will discuss innovative ways to spur growth of Africa's digital economy sector.
Kenyatta said that governments must address infrastructure, skills, regulatory and financing hiccups that have derailed growth of electronic commerce in Africa.
"We need to invest in ICT infrastructure, build skills and promote access to finance for start-ups to ensure the digital economy takes off," Kenyatta remarked, adding that e-commerce will help promote financial inclusion while generating new jobs for the youth.
The Africa e-commerce summit whose theme is "empowering African economies in the digital era" aims to foster dialogue on harnessing technology to promote trade, integration and economic diversification in the continent.
Mukhisa Kituyi, secretary general of UNCTAD said that multilateral agencies have rallied behind efforts to promote online trading in Africa that has potential for growth thanks to a youth bulge.
"We must renew dialogue on growing e-commerce in Africa and lend support to young innovators who are creating jobs," said Kituyi.
"There is need to mobilize political goodwill to tackle digital divide, skills and content deficiencies that are detrimental to growth of digital economy in this continent," he added.
Peter Munya, Kenya's cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives said that harnessing opportunities provided by the digital economy will enable Africa tackle inequality and accelerate sustainable development.
