EU-ITC Ready4Trade project helps Kyrgyzstan businesses reach $1.9 million in online sales

Bishkek, 7 July 2022 – The International Trade Centre’s (ITC) European Union-funded Ready4Trade Central Asia project celebrated interim results of its e-commerce component with a certification event for its participating small businesses.

With the European Union Delegation to Kyrgyzstan and in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, ITC will award 53 small businesses who have completed the project’s foundational course in e-commerce. Collectively they have achieved online sales of around $1.9 million since they joined the programme, opened or improved their online channels.

ITC trained a pilot group of small businesses, many of which are micro producers, on how to launch their first online channels and achieve sustainable sales: from identification of markets and customers, developing value propositions, onboarding online platforms, connecting with payments and logistics providers to engaging in customer support and digital marketing.

Overall, 75 businesses from seven regions in Kyrgyzstan participated in the programme. Coming from the textile and garments, handicrafts and processed food sectors, they were supported over a period of 1.5 years and received collectively over 700 individual coaching sessions from ITC-trained national advisors. 

The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic.

At the event, 13 national coaches will be certified as ITC e-commerce advisers and will continue to amplify the knowledge on digital trade beyond the pilot group after the project end date.

“No doubt, e-commerce development brings valuable impact to the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. Thanks to the best practices ITC shares through its training, our SMEs expand to new international platforms and markets.”

Almaz Isanov, Head of the Political and Economic Research Department of the Presidential Administration

“We are impressed with the results of the ITC-led e-commerce training, which helped Kyrgyz micro and macro businesses advance their sustainability and revenue. The European Union stands ready to walk the talk in supporting the development of e-commerce and the Ready4Trade Central Asia project.”

Iotam Lerer, Programme Manager, the European Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic

“There is strong demand for ethically made handicraft products among international customers. Yet, there are limitations in artisans’ reach of international audiences as not all global platforms dedicated to handicrafts are operational in Central Asia. In the next phase of Ready4Trade Central Asia, we will work with international partners to create an artisan empowerment hub to better connect Central Asian artisans to international demand.”

Annabel Sykes, International e-commerce expert, International Trade Centre