Khaberni - The Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, affirmed the organization's support for Jordan in expanding women's participation in digital trade, with the launch of the "Women Exporters in the Digital Economy" (WEIDE) fund, which is implemented in cooperation with the International Trade Centre and the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said during her remote participation in the program launch that choosing Jordan to implement the fund reflects the strength of its entrepreneurial ecosystem and the quality of its business-support institutions, noting that this step represents a significant expansion of the organization’s programs in the Middle East, which has significant potential in the field of digital trade.
She indicated that through the fund, the organization is working to enable companies led by women to access global markets, particularly through digital tools, amid the opportunities digitalization provides to reduce trade barriers, noting that digital trade has become one of the main drivers of global economic growth.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala added that initiatives like WEIDE aim to address the gaps faced by women-led companies, especially in financing and access to technology, emphasizing that the organization seeks to ensure greater inclusivity in global trade, enabling women to benefit from economic opportunities and create new jobs.
In this context, she explained that the program in Jordan will provide a comprehensive support model combining financing, technical assistance, mentoring, and access to international business networks, which will enhance the capacity of women-led enterprises to expand and compete in global markets.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Yarub Qudah, stated that the launch of the fund is part of the national efforts to enhance women's economic participation, confirming that the partnership with the World Trade Organization and the International Trade Centre represents an advanced level of international cooperation supporting inclusive trade.
He added that the fund is a practical tool to support women-led enterprises through financing and technical backing, enabling them to overcome challenges and access international markets, while the government continues to implement economic and legislative reforms to support small and medium enterprises.
The Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry and Acting CEO of the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation, Dana Al Zoubi, pointed out that the program complements efforts towards digital transformation, explaining that selected projects will receive financial and technical support approaching two million dollars, in addition to specialized training programs.
The one-year program targets 46 projects led by Jordanian women selected from among 469 applications, where they will be distributed into two tracks; the first for emerging projects with grants up to 5,000 dollars, and the second for more advanced projects with grants up to 30,000 dollars, to support expansion in global markets.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala confirmed that the fund aims to empower women entrepreneurs in developing countries to enter global trade, especially through digital channels, amid the continued weak representation of women-led companies in global trade, noting the existence of a financing gap estimated at about 300 billion dollars facing small and medium enterprises owned by women.
She clarified that engaging in international trade yields tangible gains for women, as exporting companies are more productive by up to 50% and offer higher wages, while women working in trade earn almost three times more compared to those confined to local markets, which enhances their economic and social impact, especially through reinvesting income in education, health, and community development.
Regarding the digital economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that digitalization helps reduce barriers for companies, explaining that digitally provided service trade exceeded 4.6 trillion dollars in 2024, providing broader opportunities for small and medium enterprises to access global markets more easily.
She added that the digital transformation is accelerating with the rise of artificial intelligence technologies, noting that organization reports indicate the potential to increase the value of global trade in goods and services by about 40% by 2040, provided supportive policies are available, as a result of increased productivity and reduced trade costs.
The launch of the fund comes as part of the World Trade Organization's directions to enhance inclusive digital trade and support the developing economies, including Jordan, to increase their integration into the global economy and achieve sustainable growth.
