Digital Trade and Fintech

Statement of need

FinTech is now a commonplace term used generically to describe new and innovative financial products born out of technology, ranging from consumer and SME focused e-payment and money transfer services, and complex transactions executed on the blockchain. In essence though, FinTech simply refers to the delivery of financial services by means of software or technology. This makes FinTech to be relevant to the evolution (or revolution) of Trade and Trade Finance on the African Continent especially due to the potential it offers to bring considerable efficiencies to existing trade and payment related processes.

Considering that trade transactions are still heavily dependent in physical processes of trade contracts and other underlying documents such as transport and insurance documents for both export and import trade, this course aims at taking participants through discussions on FinTech can effectively be utilized to streamline the flow of documents in trade transactions, reducing transaction costs, speeding up transaction timeframes and introduce secure smart contracts for the parties. 

Course objectives

• Describe the importance of fintech in import and export trade
• ecosystem, the main players and key dynamics.
• Describe how the electronic presentation works to facilitate trade
• Analyse the benefits of digitising trade finance
• Examine the challenges slowing the use of electronic presentations.
• Explain how blockchain works and its relevance to export trade.
• Examine the importance of smart contracts in international trade 

Content

• FinTech and its relevance to international trade
• Link between trade facilitation and digitising trade finance.
• Electronic presentations used for documentary trade finance.
• Smart Contracts and facilitation of export trade
• Risk mitigation strategies for digital trade finance.
• Key emerging technologies in financial services, including blockchain, and their relevance in international trade.

Target

This includes Private Sector Practitioners (inclusive of those from SMEs) involved in the buying and selling of goods; Professionals working in Trade, Export, and Commodity Finance; Import & Export Officers & Managers, Trade Finance Services Officers and Managers; Captains of Business Organisations; Trade Finance and Marketing Professionals.

Duration
1 Week

Venues
b) Venue 1: Online
Date: 11 – 21 May 2024
b) Venue 2: Windhoek, Namibia
Date: 11 – 21 May 2024

c) Venue 3: Kampala, Uganda
Date: 9 – 13 Sep 2024

Course Fees
$1,250