Digital Trade Regulatory Integration: country profile South Africa

Abstract

The African Trade Policy Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) launched the Digital Trade Regulatory Integration (DTRI) initiative to enhance digital trade in Africa. The initiative aims to provide information on digital services trade regulations, develop a digital trade integration index, encourage African countries' inclusion in the OECD Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index, and support further analytical work on digital trade. This country profile for South Africa assesses the restrictiveness of digital services trade and the regulatory regime for digital trade integration, covering areas such as infrastructure, electronic transactions, payment systems, intellectual property, and other barriers. Recommendations include aligning policies with global standards, investing in digital infrastructure, liberalizing the telecommunications sector, and strengthening e-commerce regulations.