·
A
new joint report by the WTO Secretariat, Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) and World Bank,
titled “Digital Trade in Latin America and the
Caribbean: Connecting Markets, Powering Growth,”
examines how digital trade is reshaping the region’s integration with global
markets.
·
Digitally
delivered services exports have increased fivefold
in LAC economies over the past two decades.
o
Growth
has outpaced both goods exports and other services exports.
o
Despite
this expansion, LAC accounts for only 2%
of global digitally delivered services exports,
indicating substantial untapped potential.
·
Further
digitalisation could accelerate exports:
o
Greater
adoption of digital technologies, combined with improvements in the policy
environment of lower-performing economies, could increase LAC exports of
digitally deliverable services by an estimated 4.5%
annually on average.
·
Regional
digital integration remains weak:
o
Intra-regional
digital trade in LAC is significantly lower than in Europe,
Asia and North America.
o
It
is also well below the region's level of intra-regional
goods trade.
o
This
indicates considerable scope to expand cross-border digital services and
activities within LAC.
The report identifies
several areas that determine an economy's ability to participate effectively in
digital trade:
·
Digital
infrastructure and connectivity
·
Openness
of markets for backbone digital inputs
·
Regulatory
policies
·
Cross-border
payment systems
·
Logistics
and customs procedures
·
Export
promotion
·
Firm-level
capabilities
·
Digital
skills
·
Access
to finance
·
The
report provides governments with a menu
of practical policy actions
rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
·
Individual
LAC economies can develop customized digital-trade strategies
based on their specific constraints and priorities.
·
Such
strategies can help governments:
o
Prioritize
reforms;
o
Mobilize
financial and other resources; and
o
Coordinate
with key stakeholders.
LAC has rapidly expanding digital-service
exports but remains a small player in global digital trade.
With stronger digital infrastructure, enabling regulations, efficient customs
and payments, better skills and improved access to finance, the region could
substantially increase digital exports and deepen intra-regional
economic integration.
[ABS News Service/09.09.2026]
A new report by the WTO Secretariat, the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) and the World Bank examines how digital trade is transforming the way
Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) economies connect to international markets and
identifies opportunities to unlock further growth, inclusion and development for
the region.
The report, entitled "Digital Trade in Latin America
and the Caribbean: Connecting Markets, Powering Growth", notes that, over the
past two decades, exports of digitally delivered services have expanded fivefold
in LAC economies, outpacing the growth of both goods and other services exports.
At the same time, the region currently accounts for just 2% of world exports of
digitally delivered services, pointing to considerable untapped growth potential.
The report estimates that further digitalization and new technologies,
accompanied by stronger improvements in the policy environment of the relatively
lower-performing economies, could raise the LAC region's exports of digitally deliverable
services by 4.5% per year on average.
Digital trade also offers opportunities to deepen regional
integration, the report notes. At present, intra-regional digital trade in LAC economies
is limited compared to Europe, Asia and North America, and well below the level
of intra-LAC goods trade, suggesting sizeable scope for expanding cross-border digital
activity within the region.
The report examines the factors that play a critical role
in shaping an economy's participation in digital trade. These include digital infrastructure
and connectivity, market openness for backbone inputs, regulatory policies, cross-border
payments, logistics and customs processes, export promotion and firms' capabilities,
digital skills, and access to finance. Drawing on available information, the report
assesses the position of LAC economies across these dimensions.
Based on the analysis, the publication presents a menu of
practical policy actions that governments can pursue to enhance their participation
in digital trade. Depending on their specific circumstances, challenges and priorities,
LAC economies have a choice of initiatives that best fit their needs and may develop
a customized plan that supports the prioritization of actions, the mobilization
of resources, and the engagement of key stakeholders. The WTO, IDB and the World
Bank can continue to play an important role in supporting their efforts by providing
technical assistance, policy advice and financing in accordance with their specific
mandates.