Trade and Development Report 2026
This course examines recent developments in the global economic landscape and presents the main findings in Trade and Development Report 2026, which is focused on the increasing importance of geoeconomics in shaping international trade and development. Recent macroeconomic trends will be reviewed, along with the outlook for the world economy in 2027, with particular attention paid to the challenges faced in developing countries in a period of heightened global uncertainty. The course explores how increasing geoeconomic fragmentation is reshaping the development landscape by eroding the benefits of globalization and widening technological, strategic and financial gaps between developed and developing countries. As strategic considerations increasingly shape economic policymaking, many developing countries face persistent constraints that limit participation in higher value added activities, including insufficient productive capacities and technological capabilities and underdeveloped domestic financial systems. The course will also provide an opportunity to discuss the policy implications of such developments and foster dialogue between Geneva-based delegates and UNCTAD on strategies with which to promote inclusive and sustainable development in an increasingly fragmented global economy.
At the end of this course, delegates will have gained knowledge of:
- Recent developments in the global economy and the macroeconomic outlook for 2027
- The main findings and policy messages in Trade and Development Report 2026
- How geoeconomic fragmentation is affecting trade, investment, technology and development prospects for developing countries
- The structural challenges that limit developing country participation in higher value added segments of the global economy
- Policy options for strengthening resilience, productive capacities and sustainable development in an increasingly uncertain global environment
