UN Trade and Development

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. ow.ly/w1Ew50Z2GlI

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: ow.ly/MXnQ50Z2fjC

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: ow.ly/g2cL50Z2byl

🌍 Entre tensions géopolitiques, hausse des prix de l’énergie et ralentissement du commerce, la #CNUCED (@UNCTAD) alerte sur des risques croissants pour la croissance mondiale, l’emploi et les revenus. 📎ungeneva.org/fr/news-media/…

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. ow.ly/nJkb50Z27LB

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: ow.ly/vupU50Z1Gw1

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

UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General Moreno is in Tokyo for the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (19–20 May), where senior leaders deliberate on current world affairs and megatrends. Photo: Public Relations Office of the Government of Japan

Trade and industrial production remained resilient into early 2026, but disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are weakening global momentum. Explore the outlook and what it will take to build a more resilient and stable global economy: ow.ly/kCKw50Z15Rb

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. ow.ly/vFJi50Z1694

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: ow.ly/LcCw50Z13h9

“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: ow.ly/E4M250Z0fy9

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. ow.ly/8RmP50Z0fck

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: ow.ly/GMMi50Z0bgA

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: ow.ly/2FgX50Z06Tx

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: ow.ly/b6Jm50YZt3Z

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. ow.ly/VQw350YZqeP

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: ow.ly/Fo3G50YZ0oI

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: ow.ly/IBok50YYjiP

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. ow.ly/RCvY50YY6J9