Abhatoo - Centre Nationale de Documentation

In the 2020 edition of the UNCTAD Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce Index, Switzerland replaced the Netherlands as the country with the highest readiness to engage in and benefit from e-commerce. European economies dominate the top 10 list, which also features Singapore and China, Hong Kong SAR. At the other end of the spectrum, least developed countries (LDCs) take up 18 of the 20 bottom positions in the index. The wide gaps between countries with the highest and the lowest level of e-commerce readiness point to the need to address weaknesses in the countries trailing behind in order for further digital transformation to bring inclusive development gains. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced a new dimension due to quarantine measures that have led to an uptick in e-commerce among those who have the ability to shop online.