The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has officially launched the National E-Commerce Strategy 2025-2030, marking a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation agenda. This Strategy, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in just 12 months. It builds upon the foundation of the National E-Commerce Strategy 2017-2021 and aims to shape the future of business by fostering a more robust digital economy.
Grounded in a robust eTrade Readiness Assessment, which conducted a comprehensive review of Trinidad and Tobago’s ICT infrastructure, mobile phone penetration, transport networks, and e-payment policies, the Strategy identifies gaps and opportunities in key policy areas and outlines initiatives to enhance e-commerce adoption as it seeks to create and maintain an enabling environment that facilitates and promotes e-commerce adoption in Trinidad and Tobago for both domestic and international markets.
The launch event for the National E-Commerce Strategy 2025-2030 was hosted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry earlier today at the Trinidad Hilton and Conference Centre. The event was attended by key government officials, international partners, and industry stakeholders.
In her address at the launch, Minister of Trade and Industry, Paula Gopee-Scoon, who spearheaded the exercise, commended all stakeholders involved in the development of the Strategy, and underscored Government’s commitment to supporting micro, small and medium enterprises.
Revealing that over the past decade, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) alone distributed 415 grants valued at approximately TT$27.2 million to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to facilitate business growth and innovation, the Minister stated, “We expect that the Strategy will fuel a wave of entrepreneurship and business innovation across Trinidad and Tobago and open doors for small and medium-sized enterprises to create new revenue streams and scale their businesses in both the local and global market.”
Minister Gopee-Scoon also highlighted the National Digital Transformation Strategy 2024-2027, launched last month, which she said complements the National E-Commerce Strategy as it fosters an entrepreneurial digital economy while promoting social, macroeconomic, and environmental sustainability.
Also delivering remarks at the Launch, Ms Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, in a virtual presentation described the launch as an important milestone, and she commended the leadership and vision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry for spearheading this transformative effort. She also commended the strong collaboration across Government, businesses, university representatives, UN development partners in shaping this strategy.
“I am honoured that UNCTAD has played such a role in making this milestone possible,” Ms Grynspan said. “As a pioneer, Trinidad and Tobago has now both a privilege and a responsibility. A privilege because Trinidad and Tobago is at a remarkable point of transformation with 148 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, one of the highest rates in the world, and nearly universal internet access across households, you have built the essential infrastructure for digital transformation. This connectivity, combined with impressive digital literacy rates, strong ICT skills in a large consumer market, forms a strong foundation over which to build a thriving digital economy, accelerating growth and job creation.”
Mr. Grynspan said Trinidad and Tobago, as a Caribbean Small Island Development, is given the immense task of charting a course that others may follow.
Ms. Tracey Hutchinson, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, in her comments, extended congratulations to the technical team from UNCTAD and national experts involved in the development of the Strategy.
Describing the e-commerce strategy as a landmark step and achievement for Trinidad and Tobago, she said, “In a country that can benefit from greater economic diversification and growth of SMEs, e-commerce sets the foundation for a more competitive, digitally-driven market, reinforcing the country’s commitment to sustainable economic transformation and digital inclusion.”
The UN’s support in preparation of this strategy is anchored in the United Nation’s Multi-country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, and more recently, in the Secretary General’s Pact for the Future and Global Digital Compact adopted by Heads of States and governments in 2024.
The National E-Commerce Strategy outlines four key pillars to maximize e-commerce potential. These include:
- Fostering a robust Legal and Regulatory Framework – Enhancing legal certainty for electronic transactions, contracts, signatures, cybersecurity, data protection, and cross-border e-commerce while strengthening consumer and intellectual property protections.
- Enhancing E-Commerce Awareness and Related Skills Development – Providing targeted training and collecting demographic data to inform policies and support programs for businesses and individuals.
- Enabling Business Growth and Competitiveness through E-Commerce – Encouraging MSMEs to integrate digital payment systems and cloud-based shopping services while increasing financial inclusion.
- Streamlining Trade and Logistics to support E-Commerce operations – Improving customs efficiency, enhancing rural delivery systems, and reducing MSME packaging costs.
In the immediate implementation phase of the Strategy, a National E-Commerce Committee, co-chaired by the Permanent Secretaries of the MTI and the Ministry of Digital Transformation, is to be established, and funding and implementation support discussed with Development Partners. UNCTAD is also conducting eTrade Reform Tracker Training for stakeholders to equip them with the tools required to monitor and coordinate Strategy execution.
