twitter Facebook Linkedin acp Contact Us

UN Economic Commission for Africa helps African business during COVID-19

300 bags of a coffee product were sold in just one second at Electronic World Trading Platform (eWTP). (Image Source: Rob Taylor)

The UN Economic Commission for Africa is helping to bring unique African products and their promoters to the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) in a practical COVID-19 response move

During a livestream session on 14 May 2020, coordinated by the Alibaba Business Group to position small-scale world brands on eWTP, 300 bags of a coffee product were sold in just one second.

The sale was made by the Rwandan brand known as Gorilla's Coffee. The cash-in is explained in terms of the wide reach to customers especially in China via the eWTP whose huge demand, in terms of economies of scale, would now lower overall freighting costs for the supplies

Vera Songwe, under-secretary-general of United Nations and executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), addressing participants of the livestream from Addis Ababa, said the Commission was taking action to getting many more small brands from Africa with distinct products to access the platform and make sales during and after the current health crisis. 

“COVID-19 is particularly endangering global trade. That is why I am very happy to be part of this Electronic World Trading Platform (eWTP) initiative with the Alibaba business group” she said.

“Africa, which has already been trading with China, can improve trading at this time based on a number of goods on which it possesses comparative advantage. Rwanda is already trading its Rwandan chili and Coffee. We hope that with the eWTP, we can put more goods from the continent notably, coffee from Ethiopia, Shear Butter from Mali, white pepper from Cameroon, Vanilla from the Comoros Islands and Saffron from Madagascar, among others, on the platform,” she told her viewers. 

Eric Jing, Alibaba Group director and executive chairman of Ant Group said, "We want to support SMEs worldwide to recover from the outbreak, resume production and secure orders in their times of need,” as he rallied support for Rwanda’s Gorilla's Coffee.

In concordance, Songwe added, “At a time when the world is closing down, it is particularly important that we continue with trade because that’s the only way we can build a prosperous world and a prosperous Africa, together with China. We believe that with the opening up of the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) to more countries on the continent, we can do more together to ensure that no one is left behind from the COVID-19 crisis.”

First proposed by Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma in 2016, the eWTP has been recognised by the G20 and launched in China, Malaysia, Belgium, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

The Bell team in Richards Bay consists of more than 800 machinists, welders, and assemblers. (Image source: Bell)

GFE Power Product’s extensive range covers generators from 10 kVA up to 3,000 kVA. (Image source: GFE Power Products)

The funding is the largest-ever equity raise in the minigrid industry according to Husk. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The initiative will help African contractors participate in annual infrastructure investments. (Image source: Afreximbank)

ITS has evolved into a sophisticated systems approach, providing numerous opportunities to revolutionise road networks. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Invest International’s Lara Muller; Ivory Coast Minister of Finance and Economy, Adam Coulibaly; and Ambassador Designate to Ivory Coast, Jeroen Kelderhuis. (Image source: Invest International)

The Yellow Metal Machine Rental team with some Wacker Neuson equipment. (Image source: Wacker Neuson)

Although displaying resilience, the report warns that African banks remain exposed to physical climate risks due to both sovereign and industry lending. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

WAA and VCMI will seek to establish regulatory frameworks to enable access to high integrity and fair voluntary carbon markets for WAA member countries. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The parties will also promote the mutual exchange of information and expertise in the field of export credit policies and practices. (Image source: TBD Group)

Inside Condra’s Johannesburg factory: an overhead crane positions an electric motor during assembly of hoist and crab. (Image source: Condra)

IVECO is renewing its entire product range, all at once. (Image source: IVECO)

The MoU was signed alongside the Africa Health Business Symposium. (Image source: Africa CDC)

Both the IMF and EIU expect SSA to rank as the world’s second fastest growing economy in 2024. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

There has been a focus on the sugar industry. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

At WFES, Gotion High-tech will showcase its latest products and leading green energy solutions at its booth. (Image source: Gotion High-tech)

The new Perkins 5012 is a full-authority electronic engine optimised and purpose-built for power generation applications. (Image source: Perkins)

SSAB will begin deliveries of the new products in 2026.

The key issues restricting sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing sector will be unpacked at Manufacturing Indaba later this year. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Through the innovative solution, each vessel can fill two tank containers on average between two ports. (Image source: Maersk)

Hyphen is developing sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, most advanced and only fully-vertical integrated green hydrogen project. (Image source: Hyphen)

According to Liebherr, the Used Equipment Marketplace is extremely user-friendly. (Image source: Liebherr)

Electricity storage will be pivotal in unlocking renewable projects and meeting energy demand. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

With RFID, assets can be given unique digital identities that enable users to identify and locate them all at once, from a distance, in real time. (Image source: Brady)

Africa Data Centres and DPA SA have broken ground on their solar farm in the Free State. (Image source: Africa Data Centres)

A Cat PM310 Cold Planer in action. (Image source: Caterpillar)

A larger stockholding of WEG products facilitates ready access for customers. (Image source: WEG Africa)

African nations have turned to the concept of power pools to address the continent's energy deficit and foster regional cooperation. (Image source: Synergy Consulting)

Dietmar Siersdorfer is expanding his role as Middle East managing director at Siemens Energy to include Africa. (Image source: Siemens Energy)

SEW-EURODRIVE is aggressively driving its African resource expansion by focusing this year on Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mozambique. (Image source: SEW EURODRIVE)