Over 250 participants from SIDS improved their statistics skills

TrainForTrade has significantly enhanced the skills and knowledge of 261 participants from 37 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in statistics on the digital economy, e-commerce, and digital trade. The course provided dedicated support and enthusiastic moderators throughout. It included five informative modules and an engaging webinar.

The participants mainly consisted of trade data compilers from national statistics offices, central banks, ministries of trade, and customs offices. 61% of the participants were women.

This training was part of the TrainForTrade blended learning strategy to boost the digital economy in Small Island Developing States of Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific (2022–2025).

The course achieved an 82% satisfaction rate among participants. Many expressed that the practical skills and knowledge they gained will be highly beneficial in their professional lives.

“I believe the knowledge gained will be directly applicable in analyzing trends, informing decision-makers, and supporting exporters in our region. The course has also enhanced my awareness of the strategic opportunities digital trade offers for growing economies like ours,” commented Paola Lilibeth Martinez Mejia from the Dominican Republic.

“The insights gained here will directly inform my work, whether refining metadata schemas, shaping digital trade roadmaps, or strengthening national statistical systems to support more inclusive, data-driven policymaking,” noted Josephine Peters-Ross from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

“It has been a meaningful journey, learning about the important role of statistics in measuring growth in the digital economy, e-commerce, and digital trade. Importantly, we need to have stronger collaboration and coordination at the national level when collecting, processing, analyzing, and disseminating statistics related to the three areas above,” thought Tristein Tapu Zutu from Solomon Islands.

This course was the final training session of TrainForTrade’s project for improving the digital economy in SIDS. Two other training modules covered legal aspects of e-commerce and digital identity for trade and development. The final seminar of the project will take place in November, and afterward, a UNCTAD Policy Brief with fifteen policy recommendations will be published.