Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been appointed as a special advisor to the United Nations (UN) Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi announced Ma’s appointment in New York, where the annual UN General Assembly is being held.

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“Mr. Ma is an influential and respected pioneer of the internet era, innovator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He brings a visionary approach to entrepreneurship, a thirst for learning, and a belief in a better world that make him a perfect match for UNCTAD,” Kituyi said.

Ma will support UNCTAD initiatives aimed at maximizing trade, investment, and economic advancement in developing countries as well as the UN’s 2030 ‘Agenda for Sustainable Development.’ In addition, he will draw up plans to enable young entrepreneurs and small businesses in developing countries make a better show on the global front.

The new role of Alibaba’s founder adds to a long list of responsibilities he has taken, including advisor for the governments of Kazakhstan, Britain, and Indonesia. Kituyi said that Ma would provide a visionary approach to entrepreneurship in this Internet era, according to the South China Morning Post. He believes that with Ma’s expertise and experience, he will be able to boost the development of small businesses in the world and make Alibaba better accepted globally. 

In January, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Ma as Sustainable Development Goals Advocate. UNCTAD is an agency that works with governments in developing nations to help small companies and young entrepreneurs do business worldwide.

Earlier this month, Ma promoted the idea of an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) that would build up digital trade and incorporate small and medium-sized enterprises into the global economy, Variety reported. The eWTP would also lower trade barriers and help SMEs easily participate in international trade. 

TagsJack Ma, Alibaba, UN Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD, United Nations, Jack Ma UNCTAD, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon