An intense week for UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week. x.com/UNCTAD/status/1971930000250294757
Rising tariffs, record debt costs, and outdated economic metrics are holding back global development.
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan:
▶️ Met with global leaders from China, Colombia, Kenya, Ireland, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Spain, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, G20 foreign ministers, and women leaders.
▶️ Signed an agreement with CARICOM to support small island developing states.
▶️ Took part in debates on global trade and development, economic growth and investment, debt, and artificial intelligence.
Secretary-Geneal Grynspan urged leaders to “make the invisible visible” and restore trust.
🔗 Full story: ow.ly/2In350X2Ojw
#UNGA #UNGA80 #UN80
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📢 Released today: UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2025 — your essential guide to keeping trade flowing in a turbulent world. youtube.com/shorts/SWxFZRij5pk
Maritime transport and trade face daunting challenges.
⏳Ships that once passed through the Red Sea in days now sail for weeks around the Cape of Good Hope.
📈 Freight rates are high and volatile.
⚓ Port disruption is becoming chronic.
🔗 Supply chain reliability and resilience are being put to the test.
Longer routes have increased delays, costs and emissions – with developing countries hit hardest.
The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 offers the framework for informed action and sound policymaking. Full report: ▶️ unctad.org/rmt2025
#MaritimeTransport #GlobalTrade
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Empowering Saudi entrepreneurs: UNCTAD and Social Development Bank back next-gen innovators youtube.com/shorts/qGUIH7AiaIc
Saudi Arabia’s next generation of entrepreneurs is building the future of fintech, smart logistics, and industrial innovation – with support from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the Social Development Bank (SDB).
Through its Empretec programme, UNCTAD has launched pre-accelerators and accelerators that equip founders – from first-time entrepreneurs to those already gaining traction – with the skills, tools, and mindset to test ideas, grow their businesses, and scale.
This collaboration is directly advancing the country’s Vision 2030, helping create jobs, drive innovation and economic growth, and connect Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to the global stage.
Partners include the Social Development Bank, UN Office in Saudi Arabia, Fintech Saudi, Saudi Logistics Academy, and the 1k Mile Programme under the National Industrial and Logistics Program (NIDLP).
Find out more: ▶️ ow.ly/tXL950WQEi5
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Uncertainty is the new tariff, costing global trade and hurting developing economies youtube.com/shorts/4gHalAt8_jQ
Trade policy uncertainty has become the new tariff – and its price is felt worldwide.
Volatility punishes those least able to absorb it.
But there are ways forward: diversifying markets, strengthening agreements, and giving firms advance notice of policy shifts can reduce risk.
Restoring stability and predictability is essential – for investment, growth and trade’s role as a driver of development.
Explore UNCTAD’s latest Global Trade Update: ▶️ ow.ly/eXzp50WP90G
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#UNCTAD16 comes home to Geneva 🇨🇭 on 20–23 October – the city where UNCTAD was born in 1964. youtube.com/shorts/az_h-FrvEMo
We are grateful to Switzerland for stepping forward as host at this crucial moment.
Geneva, a global hub of multilateralism, offers the ideal setting to shape inclusive and sustainable trade and development solutions for today’s challenges.
We look forward to welcoming you to #UNCTAD16 – a milestone for development, solidarity and a call for global cooperation.
▶️ unctad.org/unctad16
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The world still leans heavily on commodities – oil, metals and crops that power our lives. youtube.com/shorts/zIpsb0Rmk8U
A new report from UN Trade and Development says more than two-thirds of developing countries earn most of their export revenues from these raw materials.
That dependence is risky. When global prices swing, it shakes government budgets and stalls industrial growth.
The problem is most severe in the world’s most vulnerable economies: over 80% of least developed countries, landlocked states and small islands rely on commodities for the bulk of their exports.
@UNCTAD warns that without efforts to diversify and add value, nations risk missing the chance to turn natural wealth into lasting, resilient growth.
In short: commodities may be the backbone of many economies today, but without change, they could also be a trap for tomorrow.
Full report: ▶️ ow.ly/P76P50WG6Qi
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Youth voices shaping the future: https://youtu.be/9hktJ_vQ_YY
🌍✨ On International #YouthDay, we celebrate the leadership and creativity of youth around the world.
As we look ahead to the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Youth Forum 2025, hear directly from young changemakers on why this event matters to them.
Check out what they have to say in the video! 🎥💡
Are you ready to take action and make your voice heard at the UNCTAD Youth Forum 2025? Join us in #ShapingTheWorldWeWant!
Follow the link for the guidelines on how to apply to the Forum: ▶️ ow.ly/yIP950WEmRF
#InternationalYouthDay #UNCTADYouth #YouthVoices
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In 2023, global plastic production reached 436 million metric tons, while trade in plastics surpassed $1.1 trillion, accounting for 5% of global merchandise trade. VIDEO: youtube.com/shorts/MaCs9vqew9s
However, 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste, much of which leaks into oceans and ecosystems.
This growing imbalance threatens public health, food systems, ecosystems, and long-term development, especially in small island and coastal nations.
The upcoming global #PlasticsTreaty presents a critical opportunity to integrate trade, finance, and digital systems into a cohesive global response.
Explore UNCTAD’s latest Global Trade Update. ▶️ ow.ly/G8WW50WBqul
#INC5
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Plastic production reached 436 million metric tons worldwide in 2023, with the traded value surpassing $1.1 trillion and accounting for 5% of total merchandise trade.
Despite driving global growth across industries, plastics exact a heavy toll on environmental and planetary health.
Alarmingly, 75% of plastics ever produced have become waste and mostly ended up in the world’s oceans and ecosystems.
Countries are now convening in Geneva for the final round of UN-led negotiations – known as INC-5.2 – aimed at developing a legally binding international instrument to combat plastic pollution.
Dive into UNCTAD’s latest Global Trade Update. ▶️ ow.ly/G8WW50WBqul
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The role of nuclear energy in a sustainable future https://youtu.be/FFOhHBQAWmI
As the world moves toward a more sustainable future, nuclear energy is back in the spotlight. While wind and solar power are key to reducing carbon emissions, their intermittent nature presents challenges.
Could nuclear energy provide a stable, low-carbon alternative?
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) economist Claudia Contreras joins the #WeeklyTradecast to explore nuclear energy’s role in the global energy transition. She discusses its benefits, including reliability and efficiency, as well as its risks – radioactive waste, safety concerns and geopolitical challenges.
Tune in to learn whether nuclear power has a place in the energy mix of the future. ▶️ ow.ly/wXgO50Wnz97
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UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is the UN’s leading institution dealing with trade and development. It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
UN Trade and Development is part of the United Nations Secretariat and has a membership of 195 countries, one of the largest in the UN system. UN Trade and Development supports developing countries to access the benefits of a globalized economy more fairly and effectively.
We provide economic and trade analysis, facilitate consensus-building and offer technical assistance to help developing countries use trade, investment, finance and technology for inclusive and sustainable development.
For more information, visit unctad.org
4 March 2009