Alibaba is China’s largest online commerce company which handles more business than any other e-commerce brand in the world. Now, they want to help uplift Africa.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is teaming up with Alibaba Business School to host a flagship program.
Set for June 19 through the 29, the program is hosting 29 entrepreneurs from 11 African nations to participate in the event.
Students will be competing in an intensive eFounders Fellowship program, which is part of a pledge made by Jack Ma. Because of his position as Alibaba’s Executive Chairman and UNCTAD’s special adviser for young entrepreneurs and small business, Ma has dedicated himself to empowering the next generation.
This program’s main objective is to empower 1000 young entrepreneurs to succeed in the ever-expanding digital world.
In a recent interview with CNBC Africa, Alibaba’s Vice President of Globalization Initiatives, Brian Wong, spoke about the company’s global initiative.
Wong stated:
“When Jack Ma first visited Africa in 2017, he saw a continent facing many of the same challenges that Alibaba had managed to overcome in the last 20 years in China… As a Special Adviser to UNCTAD, Jack recognised that empowering young entrepreneurs with ideas and practical knowledge from China’s most innovative businesses could accelerate the development of inclusive e-commerce platforms and provide markets around Africa with a whole different approach to enabling entrepreneurs, small businesses, youth, women and more, all with the objective to provide access to prosperity for all.”
Wong went on to describe their overall mission of strengthening the worldwide network and the inclusivity that they strive for:
The initiatives in Africa are consistent with Alibaba’s original mission. It is a platform-based business whose mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere by connecting SMEs around the world. Enabling platforms in other countries strengthens this worldwide network and “grows the pie” for all, rather than fighting over the same pie.
The more open, platform-based businesses there are in the world – the more opportunities there will be for all players (including Alibaba), and the more partnerships will be possible in the long term.
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons.
