As contained in the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection access to dispute resolution and redress mechanisms, including alternative dispute resolution, should be enhanced, particularly in cross-border disputes. Online dispute resolution (ODR) for consumers is increasingly common in economies with mature e-commerce ecosystems such as China, Europe and USA, developing countries' consumers are not realizing the full potential of e-commerce as they do not have access to these tools. Developing countries' business access to foreign consumers is hampered by the lack of ODR causing a deceleration in cross-border e-commerce.

In 2020, UNCTAD launched the project entitled "Delivering digital trading infrastructure and online dispute resolution for consumers as means to improve international trade and electronic commerce" that aims to be the first step towards the implementation of cross-border ODR in Indonesia and Thailand. It will assess beneficiaries' needs, benchmark international best practices, strengthen local capacities and use emerging technologies like block chain and artificial intelligence to leapfrog development stages and deliver ODR for consumers. The Annual Conference is the instance in which representatives from UNCTAD, the donor (China Silk Road Group) and governmental authorities of Indonesia and Thailand meet to endorse the Annual Operational Programme detailing the activities. It is also the occasion to present the undertaken activities, review progress of the programme, deal with emerging issues and suggest measures to address shortcomings.

This first Annual Conference allows for the official launching of the DODR Project.

The Annual Conference will be attended by:

1) Ms. Teresa Moreira, Director, Division of International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD, 2) Dr. Rizal E Halim, Chairman, National Consumer Protection Agency of Republic of Indonesia, 3) Mr. Thasornatt Thanittipun, Secretary General, Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Thailand, and 4) Dr. Yan Lijin, Chairman, China Silk Road Group