Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have ripple effects for small island developing states.
@UNCTAD estimates that a sustained 50% increase in refined oil prices could raise their annual net oil import bill by about $4 billion.
More: unctad.org/publication/strait-hormuz-disru...
UNCTAD
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UNCTAD
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Official account of @UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). We work to ensure everyone benefits from the global economy. Secretary-General @RGrynspan.
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The Strait of Hormuz handles about one-fifth of global oil shipments.
Disruptions there have pushed up oil prices, leaving least developed countries facing an estimated $16B increase in import costs.
For some, the burden could exceed 5% of GDP.
More: unctad.org/publication/strait-hormuz-disru...
Vulnerable economies, home to nearly 1 billion people, are feeling the squeeze amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
New analysis shows how oil price spikes raise import costs, fuel inflation and strain already stretched public finances.
More: unctad.org/news/new-unctad-monitor-warns-v...
A crisis in the Strait of Hormuz isn't just a geopolitical shock. It's a development challenge.
Oil prices have surged since 28 Feb, pushing up costs across transport, supply chains and energy markets.
Vulnerable economies are bearing the brunt. unctad.org/publication/strait-hormuz-disru...
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are increasing pressure on vulnerable economies.
65 of 75 least developed countries and small island developing states depend on imported oil.
Without relief, rising energy costs will deepen existing vulnerabilities.
unctad.org/publication/strait-hormuz-disru...
From 4.7% growth in 2025 to 1.5–2.5% in 2026: Global merchandise trade is projected to slow as geopolitical tensions disrupt supply chains, energy markets and key shipping routes, including through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trade and Development Foresights: unctad.org/publication/trade-and-developme...
One quarter of global trade is services, yet the gains are uneven.
Advanced economies lead in digitally deliverable services exports, while many least developed countries remain left behind.
Explore policy solutions to narrow the gap: unctad.org/news/services-growth-puts-polic...
About half of economic output in the average least developed country now comes from services – tourism, finance, transport and more.
The question is no longer whether services matter, but under what conditions they can drive transformation.
Dive deeper: unctad.org/publication/least-developed-cou...
Fragmentation, concentration & new integration are reshaping the global economy. Cooperation remains essential on digital systems, critical minerals & clean energy supply chains.
More from Acting Secretary-General Moreno at @APEC trade ministers’ meeting: unctad.org/news/un-trade-and-development-c...
Globalization rebounded in 2025 as trade-to-GDP rose again.
But fragmentation is growing: Trade is concentrating in large economies, geographically closer trade links are growing faster, and geopolitics continue to reshape flows.
Explore: unctad.org/publication/key-statistics-and-...
UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno met with @APEC Secretariat Executive Director Eduardo Pedrosa during the bloc’s trade ministers’ meeting recently held in Suzhou, China.
“Open regionalism has been APEC's wager from the beginning. In a world of cross-currents, it remains the right one.” – UNCTAD acting chief Pedro Manuel Moreno at the 32nd @APEC trade ministers’ meeting in Suzhou, China, on 22-23 May.
World trade grew strongly in 2025 across both goods (about 3/4 of total trade) and services, which have more than doubled since 2010 – driven by digital services, e-commerce, and the recovery in travel and tourism.
Explore key statistics and trends: unctad.org/publication/key-statistics-and-...
A fully implemented African Continental Free Trade Area could create a $3.4 trillion market.
Seizing this opportunity will require bold reforms, regional cooperation and strategic investment.
Explore the policy solutions: unctad.org/publication/economic-developmen...
On Africa Day and every day, we stand with African countries.
By unlocking the promise of continental free trade, innovation and renewable energy, together we foster a prosperous and sustainable future all Africans – and our world – deserve.
More: unctad.org/topic/africa
Global trade in goods entered 2026 on a strong footing, supported by expanding industrial output in most developing regions.
Technology-driven manufacturing, particularly linked to artificial intelligence, drove this resilience – most notably in Asia.
unctad.org/news/ai-driven-trade-boom-masks...
The global economy entered 2026 with momentum after nearly 3% growth in 2025, driven by stronger industrial output in developing economies.
But rising geopolitical tensions are reshaping the outlook.
More in Trade and Development Foresights: unctad.org/news/ai-driven-trade-boom-masks...
#BiodiversityDay: Biodiversity-based products like sustainable coffee can deliver tangible benefits on the ground – driving exports, increasing local incomes and protecting ecosystems.
First-hand success stories from Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam: unctad.org/news/can-coffee-help-protect-bi...
Stopping biodiversity loss goes beyond conservation.
Sustainable trade enables green innovation, diversification, sustainable production and resilient supply chains.
Join us in scaling these solutions to conserve biodiversity and improve livelihoods: unctad.org/topic/trade-and-environment
As countries race to scale renewable energy, capital alone is not enough.
Modernizing investment agreements can help spread the knowledge, skills and industrial capabilities needed to accelerate the energy transition. unctad.org/news/why-green-investment-needs...
Annual renewable energy investment needs are set to exceed $1 trillion by 2030.
Besides funding, countries also need technology, know-how and skills to enable the energy transition.
@UNCTAD explores how better-designed investment treaties can help: unctad.org/publication/energy-transition-i...
A new test for the global economy as trade, food and financial shocks spread amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Yet the situation also points to actionable ways to strengthen resilience.
More in Trade and Development Foresights 2026: unctad.org/news/global-economy-faces-new-t...
Global risks are shifting and weighing on growth.
In 2025, uncertainty mainly centred on trade policy. By early 2026, geopolitical tensions have become the main concern, as ongoing conflict threatens energy flows and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. unctad.org/publication/trade-and-developme...
The world economy entered 2026 with resilience, driven by trade, industrial production in developing economies, and strong investment linked to AI.
But rising geopolitical tensions are expected to slow growth.
Latest Trade and Development Foresights: unctad.org/publication/trade-and-developme...
In Tokyo, Acting Secretary-General Moreno represented UNCTAD at the UN Sustainable Development Group meeting.
Discussions focused on mobilizing the full strength of the UN development system to tackle today’s challenges and get the #SDGs back on track.
Photo: @UNUniversity
Developing economies increasingly drive global goods trade, but concentration remains high.
Developing East Asia alone accounts for around 60% of developing-country exports, underscoring the rise of the global South and persistent regional imbalances.
unctad.org/publication/key-statistics-and-...
Trade surpassed a record $35 trillion in 2025, yet the global trading system is becoming more fragmented, regionalized and uneven.
Understanding these shifts is critical to navigating a more complex and less predictable global economy.
Explore: unctad.org/publication/key-statistics-and-...
“Let’s count what matters. Let’s embrace these new metrics that complement GDP, and reveal the full picture of the challenges and opportunities our world faces at this extraordinary moment in history.” – @UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Full report: unctad.org/publication/measuring-what-we-v...
GDP has long been the world’s scoreboard for progress. Yet growth can still leave gaps in security, trust, opportunity & hope.
Complementing GDP, a new @UN framework proposes a broader dashboard to capture well-being, equity, sustainability & resilience.
unctad.org/news/gdp-not-enough-tell-if-peo...
Developed economies generate about twice as much waste per capita as developing ones.
New data from @UNCTAD’s Inclusive Growth Index highlights the urgent need to break the link between economic growth, resource consumption and waste.
Dive deeper: unctad.org/news/beyond-gdp-new-data-reveal...
Inclusive growth remains deeply uneven worldwide.
Developed economies score nearly twice as high as developing ones, with Luxembourg, Norway and Denmark leading the way.
Singapore and the UAE are the only developing economies in the top 30.
More: unctad.org/news/beyond-gdp-new-data-reveal...
South-South cooperation isn’t just financial. While scholarships are mostly monetary, much support – training, aid, technical expertise – is non-monetized.
More insights from the project on quantifying South–South cooperation for the #SDGs: unctadstat.unctad.org/insights/theme/241
South-South cooperation goes beyond grants and loans. It also includes training, technical support, scholarships and policy exchanges.
Developing economies can better measure these contributions through a voluntary @UN-backed statistical framework. unctad.org/news/measuring-south-south-coop...
Cross-border e-commerce can boost South-South cooperation by deepening trade links, upgrading industries, growing revenues and creating jobs.
In Geneva, Acting Secretary-General Moreno met experts to explore new models, pathways and mechanisms.
More: unctad.org/meeting/cross-border-e-commerce...
Tariffs rose sharply in 2025, but they have not been the main obstacle to trade over recent decades.
The latest Global Trade Update shows non-tariff measures drive trade costs for most economies, exceeding tariffs in 88% of cases.
Map disclaimer: unctad.org/map-disclaimer
Recently at the Yerevan Dialogue, Acting Secretary-General Moreno warned that geopolitical tensions, rising debt burdens and economic fragmentation are straining development cooperation – and called for urgent reform of the global financial architecture. unctad.org/news/acting-unctad-chief-speaks...
Cross-border services: Digital trade provisions on data flows, data protection, e-transactions and infrastructure are expanding.
They reduce fragmentation and improve predictability, but restrictions risk limiting access and value chain participation.
unctad.org/news/services-growth-puts-polic...
Acting Secretary-General Moreno opens today the 9th intergovernmental group of experts meeting on e-commerce and the digital economy in Geneva.
The forum supports developing countries to bridge the digital divide and build inclusive knowledge societies.
unctad.org/meeting/intergovernmental-group...
Developed economies dominate exports of digitally deliverable services, while many least developed countries remain on the margins.
Closing this gap requires targeted policy action as services increasingly drive value creation.
More: unctad.org/news/services-growth-puts-polic...
GDP alone cannot show whether lives are improving or whether progress can last.
This week, the @UN set out a new global blueprint with 31 indicators to track well-being, equity, sustainability and resilience.
Take a deeper look: unctad.org/publication/measuring-what-we-v...
Aligning trade rules or recognizing standards can significantly reduce unnecessary costs.
In Africa, even limited regulatory cooperation could cut costs by 30–40% in agriculture and manufacturing.
More in the latest Global Trade Update: unctad.org/publication/global-trade-update...
Non-tariff measures protect health, safety and the environment, but unnecessary trade costs can and should be reduced.
Solutions: greater transparency, stronger regulatory cooperation & more support for exporters.
Explore the latest Global Trade Update: unctad.org/news/invisible-barriers-are-res...
Average tariff rates on Latin American exports more than doubled in 2025.
Compliance with increasingly complex standards also becomes more costly.
How to address this double burden disproportionately affecting developing regions?
Global Trade Update: unctad.org/publication/global-trade-update...
GDP alone doesn’t show if people are living well, if growth is harming the planet, or if opportunity is shared.
The @UN’s new report calls for measuring progress beyond GDP with broader indicators of well-being and sustainability.
Explore: unctad.org/publication/measuring-what-we-v...
Economic output alone cannot show whether lives are improving or whether progress can last.
Moving beyond GDP, the @UN’s new global blueprint uses 31 indicators to track well-being, equity and sustainability.
Take a deeper look: unctad.org/publication/measuring-what-we-v...
GDP isn’t the full scoreboard for tracking progress.
The @UN now proposes 31 indicators beyond economic output – well-being, equity, resilience and more.
“What we measure shapes what we value,” says @UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno.
unctad.org/news/gdp-not-enough-tell-if-peo...
Non-tariff measures like regulations and standards now drive most trade costs, reshaping global trade and market access.
For developing countries, the burden is double: tariffs plus complex rules. What could help level the playing field?
Explore: unctad.org/publication/global-trade-update...