Despite progress, women still contribute less to exports across all sectors. Closing the gap requires expanding their access to high-value sectors, strengthening labour rights and supporting their inclusion in larger enterprises.
The ocean drives industries from tourism and biotech to clean energy and pharmaceuticals. But climate change, pollution and underfunding put its future at risk.
Trade and innovation have driven growth, but mounting climate risks, weak governance and underinvestment threaten the sector’s future and the lives of 600 million people worldwide.
From low growth, trade disruptions and Gaza’s destruction to the critical minerals boom, investment shifts, freight rate spikes and UNCTAD’s rebranding, here are the most-read stories of the year.
World trade is on track to hit a record $33 trillion in 2024, but risks of rising trade tensions and ongoing geopolitical challenges cast uncertainty over the outlook for 2025.
Shifts in the car industry, which relies on extensive and complex supply chains, highlight the global economy’s evolution, where cost efficiencies and regional demand are reshaping traditional manufacturing hubs.
A continued slump in goods trade. An evolving technological landscape. The Global South is gaining weight. A rethink of development strategies is both timely and timeless.
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) calls for urgent policy shifts to reverse rising inequality, stagnant wages, and jobless growth, particularly in developing countries.
Multilateral action and strategic policy shifts are key to helping countries achieve sustainable development and navigate the risks and opportunities of a new growth era.
The disruptions are straining supply chains, driving up costs, and reshaping global trade patterns, with vulnerable economies hit hardest.
