An increased awarness among lenders and investors of the strong growth potential of e-trade and building the capacities of entrepreneurs to develop credible business plans are the key objectives of an awarness-raising and training workshop held on October 24-26 in Tunis. The event, held under the theme of “Access to financing for e-commerce businesses,” .is initiated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It is geared towards young graduates and women. Organised in collaboration with the ministries of trade and export development and finance, this workshop follows the eTrade Readiness Assessment, a study to re-assess Tunisia’s readiness for e-trade. International Consultant at UNCTAD Faicel Belaid said the assessment study conducted in 2021 revealed that access to funding represents a major obstacle for e-commerce operators and technology startups in Tunisia. Belaid said 200 applications for participation were filed for 30 places available which reflects the importance of the financing issue in this sector. This study, which focused on the ecosystem in general, showed non-bank and alternative financing seem to be better suited to technology startups in Tunisia, given their specific characteristics, he said. This mainly includes risk capital and venture capial. E-trade Development Director at the Treade and Export DEvelopment Ministry Khabbab Hadhri called “enormous” thee-trade potential in Tunisia. Dynamism was seen in the post-Covid period. There are 1,100 online shops using e-payment solutions in Tunisia. They carried out in H1 of 2023 nearly 7.5 million transactions worth TND 540 million, data provided by the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) show. Tunisia recorded a significant loss of earnings in this sector, as many online sales take place through social networks (nearly 90%) rather than though commercial websites. These are informal activities carried out by operators who do not have legal status of enterprises and whose transactions are carried out on a cash-on-delivery basis. To this end, there is need to simplify procedures for the creation of businesses and grant tax incentives while guaranteeing on-discrimination with organised e-trade. The goal is to encourage these operators to set-up e-commerce websites and develop marketing strategies, he added. This workshop will introduce entrepreneurs to the various financing and support mechanisms, conditions of access and various incentives. It will also provide recipients with tools to optimise their chances of success when seeking funds by highlighting the key factors to be considered for the success of an e-trade project and the different selection criteria used by investors and lenders.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse