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The future of the multilateral trading system: fragmentation, power shifts and the challenge for development

By Luz Maria de la Mora, Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

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The global economy is changing rapidly. Digital trade, climate action, supply-chain security and geopolitical competition are all influencing how countries shape trade policy and economic partnerships.

For developing countries, these shifts matter deeply. Trade can create jobs, support innovation and improve living standards, but only when countries can participate in rules and markets on fair and predictable terms.

As new trade arrangements emerge, inclusivity will be essential to ensure that smaller and more vulnerable economies are not left behind.

In a new op-ed for Economist Enterprise, Luz Maria de la Mora, director of the international trade and commodities division at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), examines how these trends are affecting the global trading system, and why they matter for countries seeking predictable, inclusive and development-oriented trade rules.

Read the full article on Economist Enterprise.