20 November 2025 — The Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), together with the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (KOBIA) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, successfully held an online event on “Strengthening SME Participation in Trade: Enhancing Access to Markets by Improving E-Commerce.”
In her opening remarks, CICA Deputy Secretary General Ms. Zhang Ling commended the Azerbaijani Chairmanship for its steadfast commitment to advancing CICA’s Economic Dimension through initiatives that foster innovation, digital transformation and practical cooperation. She emphasized that SMEs remain fundamental to economic growth, employment and innovation across the CICA region, yet often face structural challenges that limit their access to international markets. Highlighting the potential of e-commerce to broaden market opportunities, reduce transaction costs and facilitate cross-border trade, Ms. Zhang Ling underscored the value of the webinar as a timely platform for exchanging regulatory experiences, technological solutions and institutional practices that support SME integration into digital trade.
Experts and policymakers from Azerbaijan, India, Russia, Jordan and Thailand presented a broad spectrum of national experiences demonstrating how digital platforms, enabling regulatory frameworks and targeted support programmes can facilitate SME integration into international trade. Presentations covered approaches to expanding SMEs’ access to global e-commerce markets, improving digital trade facilitation tools, strengthening training and advisory mechanisms and advancing public-private partnerships.
The interactive discussions further explored practical measures to increase SME engagement in cross-border digital trade, including enhanced logistics solutions, closer cooperation among relevant national institutions, and joint initiatives grounded in systematic knowledge-sharing. Participants highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts to create a more conducive environment for SMEs to participate effectively in the digital economy.
The event reaffirmed the commitment of CICA Member States to promoting inclusive digital trade and supporting SMEs as key contributors to economic development, innovation and deeper regional connectivity.
