Khalifa Fund collaborates with Amazon to empower regional SMEs

Amazon
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By Rahul Vaimal, Associate Editor
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One of the most renounced initiatives to foster entrepreneurship in the region, the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (Khalifa Fund) has partnered with global e-commerce giant Amazon to launch the E-Empower program. 

Launched under the Abu Dhabi Inspires program, the E-Empower program will support and develop Abu Dhabi-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs by providing interactive eLearning content that will help small businesses thrive in the digital economy.

The new program will assist SMEs by offering tools and insights on how they can expand their businesses to reach millions of customers via the largest e-commerce platform in the Arab world, Amazon AE.

The e-commerce giant will provide the Abu Dhabi SME community access to more than 50 hours of learning content along with four months of dedicated seller support as part of the E-Empower program.

The program includes free online training sessions, expert advice, and a host of educational support, including step-by-step guides to establishing and growing businesses on Amazon’s regional e-commerce website.

Abu Dhabi Inspires initiative 

The partnership has been announced as part of the ‘Abu Dhabi Inspires’ program which was launched in order to drive forward innovative responses to current realities, promoting agile thinking in government and in the community, and supporting bright minds to invent, develop and launch tangible ideas that will have a positive impact on people now and into the future.

Abu Dhabi’s E-commerce license

Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) provides a legal trade license named “E-commerce license” to practice the activity and create trust between the seller and the consumer in various sectors within the Emirate.

The license aims to encourage entrepreneurs to reinforce their activity through electronic trade and commercial channels for existing projects and businesses.

More than 50% of everything sold in Amazon’s stores globally comes from third-party sellers, most of which are SMEs. Amazon has progressively launched tools to help local businesses, including the Amazon Seller Mobile App, which allows Selling Partners to conduct business with more speed, ease, and flexibility.

Amazon’s efforts also include webinars targeted at local sellers. Working with partners such as the Khalifa Fund, Amazon will continue to drive educational initiatives forward across the UAE and wider region.