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A port crane loads wheat at Port Varna, Bulgaria.

Global economy faces new test as trade, food and finance shocks spread

UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno meets with Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao

Acting Secretary-General calls for cooperation amid global economic shifts

bar chart showing that AI-related hardware boosted import growth in 2025

AI-driven trade boom masks broader slowdown

Timur, Indonesia - 14 April 2024: A farmer is harvesting rice in a field. He is wearing a brown shirt and a scarf around his neck. He is holding a large bundle of rice in his arms.

GDP isn't enough to tell if people are better off

The global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Explore the report

The global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Explore the report

Global economy faces new test as trade, food and finance shocks spread

Acting Secretary-General calls for cooperation amid global economic shifts

AI-driven trade boom masks broader slowdown

GDP isn't enough to tell if people are better off

Featured publications

Trade and Development Foresights 2026: Global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Energy transition investment and the transfer of knowledge and skills: Implications for investment treaty design

Global Trade Update (May 2026): Invisible barriers – the costs of non-tariff measures

Key statistics and trends in international trade 2025

Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

More publications

More news

A farmer tends arabica coffee plants in Gia Lai, Viet Nam.

22 May 2026

Can coffee help protect biodiversity?

21 May 2026

Why green investment needs smarter rules to benefit developing countries

08 May 2026

Invisible barriers are reshaping global trade

06 May 2026

Acting UNCTAD chief speaks on challenges of international cooperation

06 May 2026

AI investment boom risks widening global development divide

28 Apr 2026

Hormuz disruption shows why early-warning data matters

All news

Data stories

a map showing that most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

Beyond tariffs: Most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

A line graph shows Strait of Hormuz disruptions are a shock to global trade, which is expected to slow

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain across trade, prices and finance

A map showing country and regional scores on the Productive Capacities Index for 2024

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

Line graph showing that when gas prices go up, fertilizer prices often go up

Fertilizer disruptions raise risks for food security and trade

A graph showing how energy markets have reacted to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Energy markets react immediately to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Meetings and events

29 June – 3 July 2026

Trade and Development Commission, 16th session

Geneva, Switzerland

18 May – 5 June 2026

Global online course on next generation trade facilitation

Online

1 – 4 June 2026

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course in Peru: Launch of Cycle 10 and Module 1 on international trade and maritime transport

Lima, Peru

3 June 2026

Youth Network Town Hall with the High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP

Online

7 – 11 June 2026

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 4 in Maldives: Module 3 on the functioning of a port system

Malé, Maldives

9 – 12 June 2026

Training Workshop on advancing satellite-based crop and water monitoring technology to enhance the agricultural resilience using the CropWatch and ETWatch cloud platform for African Countries

Ethiopia

10 June 2026

Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026 – Module 2 on Trade Facilitation and Development

Online

All meetings and events

Videos

Borrowers' Platform: Toward a fairer global financial system

WTO MC14: UNCTAD calls for bolstering the multilateral trading system and investment in developing countries

Global Trade Update (March 2026): Reforming trade rules to drive development

Secretary-General

Geneva, Switzerland

Rebeca Grynspan

Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica was appointed the eighth Secretary-General of UNCTAD on 13 September 2021. She is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the organization.

Statements

12 May 2026

12th World Free Zones Organization World Congress

Panama City, Panama

5 May 2026

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Geneva, Switzerland

20 April 2026

Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 29th session

Geneva, Switzerland

More statements

We help developing countries benefit from the global economy more fairly and effectively, providing data and analysis, facilitating consensus-building and offering technical assistance on issues related to trade and development.

We help countries achieve inclusive, sustainable growth by transforming the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals into actions that deliver concrete results. Our work focuses on:

We provide reliable and timely data and statistics to help countries better understand trade and development trends and design more effective economic, environmental and social policies.

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In focus

Our research and publications provide authoritative and evidence-based analysis on trade and development and policy recommendations to help countries tackle today’s biggest challenges.

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In focus

Our meetings and events convene governments, businesses, civil society organizations, academia and international organizations to discuss and build consensus on the most pressing trade and development issues.

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Meeting series in focus

Our technical cooperation helps developing countries better integrate into the global economy by transforming their economies, tackling vulnerabilities, improving competitiveness and empowering people.

Featured programmes

In focus

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Latest

Global economy faces new test as trade, food and finance shocks spread

Acting Secretary-General calls for cooperation amid global economic shifts

AI-driven trade boom masks broader slowdown

GDP isn't enough to tell if people are better off

The global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Explore the report

The global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Explore the report

Global economy faces new test as trade, food and finance shocks spread

Acting Secretary-General calls for cooperation amid global economic shifts

AI-driven trade boom masks broader slowdown

GDP isn't enough to tell if people are better off

Featured publications

Trade and Development Foresights 2026: Global economy faces a geopolitical challenge

Energy transition investment and the transfer of knowledge and skills: Implications for investment treaty design

Global Trade Update (May 2026): Invisible barriers – the costs of non-tariff measures

Key statistics and trends in international trade 2025

Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

More news

Can coffee help protect biodiversity?

Why green investment needs smarter rules to benefit developing countries

Invisible barriers are reshaping global trade

Acting UNCTAD chief speaks on challenges of international cooperation

AI investment boom risks widening global development divide

Hormuz disruption shows why early-warning data matters

Data stories

Beyond tariffs: Most countries still face higher export costs from non-tariff measures

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain across trade, prices and finance

New data reveals what drives economic transformation – and where gaps persist

Fertilizer disruptions raise risks for food security and trade

Energy markets react immediately to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Meetings and events

Trade and Development Commission, 16th session

Global online course on next generation trade facilitation

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course in Peru: Launch of Cycle 10 and Module 1 on international trade and maritime transport

Youth Network Town Hall with the High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP

TrainForTrade Modern Port Management Course, Cycle 4 in Maldives: Module 3 on the functioning of a port system

Training Workshop on advancing satellite-based crop and water monitoring technology to enhance the agricultural resilience using the CropWatch and ETWatch cloud platform for African Countries

Specialized Training for NTFCs 2026 – Module 2 on Trade Facilitation and Development

Videos

Borrowers' Platform: Toward a fairer global financial system

WTO MC14: UNCTAD calls for bolstering the multilateral trading system and investment in developing countries

Global Trade Update (March 2026): Reforming trade rules to drive development

Secretary-General

Rebeca Grynspan

Statements

12th World Free Zones Organization World Congress

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 29th session