On March 18, 2022, the meeting of the Working Group on Digital Trade was held with the participation of members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kyrgyz Republic and highly qualified experts in digital trade and e-payment. The Group is coordinated by the Commercial Law and Development Program at the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is a multistakeholder group in Central Asia that will include government and private sector from the region.

During the Working Group meeting, participants discussed opportunities and directions for the development of digital trade in the region legal enabling environment for digital trade in the Kyrgyz Republic and the implementation of cross-border electronic payments in the country.

The goal of the Digital Trade Working Group is to work with stakeholders in the region to develop an open, inclusive, and secure digital infrastructure that will serve as a foundation for regional development and economic growth. The Digital Trade Working Group will seek to fulfill this goal by promoting international best practices, removing digital trade barriers, and fostering the necessary legal and regulatory environment that will allow digital trade to develop and thrive across the region.

Beginning in January 2022, CLDP facilitate a series virtual and in-person roundtables with stakeholder groups in each country in the region, including the Kyrgyz Republic, to identify specific country-level digital trade priorities and needs – in preparation for a regional Digital Trade Working Group meeting in Summer 2022.