Home | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Healthcare worker wearing a stethoscope uses a tablet in a clinic in Uganda.

Digital services exports accelerate as least developed countries fall behind

Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno addressed the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services, which opened on 9 September in Beijing.

Moreno: Closing services gaps key to inclusive global trade

Foreign direct investment growth is concentrated in developed economies

Global investment rises 6%, but development gains remain uneven

Register for the World Investment Forum 2026

Global Trade Update: Services are reshaping global trade

Explore the report

Global Trade Update: Services are reshaping global trade

Explore the report

Healthcare worker wearing a stethoscope uses a tablet in a clinic in Uganda.

Digital services exports accelerate as least developed countries fall behind

Acting Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno addressed the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services, which opened on 9 September in Beijing.

Moreno: Closing services gaps key to inclusive global trade

Foreign direct investment growth is concentrated in developed economies

Global investment rises 6%, but development gains remain uneven

Register for the World Investment Forum 2026

Featured publications

Strait of Hormuz disruptions impact small businesses (SMEs) cover page

Smaller firms, greater risks: How Strait of Hormuz disruptions could trigger an exclusion effect for small and medium-sized enterprises

Cover for World Investment Report 2026: International investment in a turbulent era

World Investment Report 2026: International investment in a turbulent era

Cover for Global Trade Update (September 2026): Services are reshaping global trade, but least developed countries lag in digital exports

Global Trade Update (September 2026): Services are reshaping global trade, but least developed countries lag in digital exports

Cover for UNCTAD Annual Report 2025

UNCTAD Annual Report 2025

Cover for Financing development: External flows of financial capital to developing countries and their cost

Financing development: External flows of financial capital to developing countries and their cost

More publications

Latest video

Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP)

Data stories

First half of 2026: stronger goods trade growth and sluggish services trade growth

High-tech goods power global trade amid uncertainty

Bar chart showing Must vulnerable economies are exposed to oil and food price shocks

Hormuz disruptions: Most vulnerable economies are exposed to oil and food price shocks

Graph showing prices of oil and refined oil products have risen sharply

Vulnerable economies face the heaviest burden from oil shocks

A graph showing that clean technologies will account for a larger share of critical mineral demand

Critical minerals are reshaping global trade as demand surges

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

AI-driven trade boom masks broader slowdown

More data stories

More news

A logistics worker scans a package as part of the shipping process.

11 Sep 2026

Turning national data into better services trade policy

10 Sep 2026

Seaweed-producing countries seek to capture more value as global market grows

09 Sep 2026

Closing services gaps key to inclusive global trade – UNCTAD acting chief

08 Sep 2026

Investment key to ‘strategic sovereignty’, says UNCTAD acting chief

All news

Videos

Inside the 16th Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission

Global Trade Update July/August 2026

Strait of Hormuz Disruptions: The burden of oil price shocks on vulnerable economies

Meetings and events

Trade and Development Board, 73rd session

14 – 25 September 2026

Trade and Development Board, 73rd session

Geneva, Switzerland

1 – 30 September 2026

Science, technology and innovation parks: Policies and practices e-learning course, autumn session

Online

8 – 11 September 2026

TrainForTrade: Port Week 2026

Santander, Spain

11 September 2026

Launch of UNCTAD report measuring servicification and impacts of services trade and policy

Shougang Park, Beijing, China

All meetings and events

Secretary-General

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD from 13 September 2021

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.

Read more about Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General

Statements

14 July 2026

UN high-level meeting on critical energy transition minerals

New York City, United States of America

8 July 2026

23rd Session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Competition Law and Policy — Opening remarks

Geneva, Switzerland

More statements