What is E-GATE?
Elevate Global Access Through E-Commerce (E-GATE) in Central Asia is a World Bank program launched in 2023, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UK FCDO) under the Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED) program. E-GATE seeks to alleviate poverty by opening new opportunities and broadening market access for Central Asian producers and smaller business entities, and assessing whether e-commerce can succeed in the region, especially through its distributional impact on market access, income generation and job creation.
E-commerce is a driver of economic development in our globalized world, bringing traditional commerce online and simplifying trade. In 2024, global B2C e-commerce sales hit $6 trillion, surpassing the GDPs of Germany and Japan, while B2B sales reached $20 trillion, roughly equal to the GDPs of the USA or China.
E-GATE facilitates e-commerce growth in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, working with governments, business associations, and the private sector by:
- Developing an e-commerce readiness index for Central Asia.
- Onboarding local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to global B2B e-commerce marketplaces.
- Providing capacity-building on business intelligence, e-commerce intelligence, and onboarding MSMEs to international e-commerce marketplaces.
- Conducting awareness-raising events to promote local producers worldwide and attract global e-commerce players and potential investors to the region.
- Measuring e-commerce volume through the World Bank “Listening 2” surveys.
- Providing analytical help in updating legal documents related to the regulation of e-commerce in the countries of Central Asia.
- Generating robust evidence through impact evaluations, including randomized controlled trials and value chain analysis.
Why Is E-GATE Needed?
Geographical Barriers: Central Asia's landlocked and remote location restricts global market access, especially to seaports.
Youth Unemployment: The region’s young population offers enormous human capital potential but only if these countries’ youth can find employment.
Economic Dependence: Central Asia countries rely on Commonwealth of Independent States- CIS countries for trades making the region vulnerable to external shocks. Expanding e-commerce beyond CIS countries can diversify value chains and strengthen economic resilience.
E-GATE’s Impact
Revenue Growth: Local MSMEs supported by E-GATE gained over $21 million in negotiated or contracted deals between May and November of 2024.
Jobs Creation: On average, 15% of local MSMEs supported by E-GATE created new jobs, 70% of which were filled by women.
Access to New Markets: Local MSMEs supported by E-GATE gained access to over 70 new markets around the world compared to 19 traditional markets they had before joining the program.
Regulatory Changes: E-GATE advocates for regulatory changes to create a healthy e-commerce environment including updating consumer protection legislation, modernizing postal regulations, and other key policy adjustments.
E-commerce Measurement Enhancement: E-GATE supports the development of e-commerce measurement methodology together with international partners for Central Asia countries. Using the “Listening 2” (L2) tool, E-GATE surveyed over 1,500 households in the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan in 2023-2024, showing that the vast majority of households shop online by placing orders through social media or messenger apps rather than through marketplaces.
