United Nations Trade and Development News
UNCTAD advances investment risk-sharing plan for developing economies
Developing economies are facing widening gaps in access to capital as new project announcements in critical sectors continue to decline. Measures unveiled at the World Investment Forum 2026 seek ...
GASEZ launches green investment working group for special economic zones
Special economic zones are taking on a larger role in sustainable industrial policy as governments and investors seek greener growth platforms. A new working group launched in Doha aims to help ...
UNCTAD honors women entrepreneurs at Doha forum as scaling businesses gains policy focus
Women-led companies expanding across agriculture, fintech, food technology and forest restoration are taking center stage at the World Investment Forum in Doha. The 2026 Women in Business Awards ...
UNCTAD urges broader AI investment across skills and connectivity
As spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates, policymakers and investors are focusing on whether the technology's gains can spread beyond the economies that host most of the ...
UNCTAD investment awards highlight digital economy promotion efforts in developing markets
Digital investment remains uneven across regions even as it expands sharply and gains importance for jobs, innovation and connectivity. The 2026 United Nations Investment Promotion Awards ...
UNCTAD opens World Investment Forum in Qatar as developing economy flows weaken
Against a backdrop of increasingly selective global capital allocation, the World Investment Forum 2026 opens in Doha to examine how investment can be steered toward economies and sectors with the ...
Global FDI values rise as new project activity weakens, UNCTAD says
Global foreign direct investment is rising in 2026, but the increase is concentrated in higher-value transactions rather than a broad rebound in project activity. The divergence points to a ...
UNCTAD highlights tighter investment screening as countries steer capital to strategic sectors
As global value chains are being reshaped by geopolitical tensions, technological change and shifting trade patterns, governments are placing greater emphasis on the quality of foreign investment ...
World Investment Forum 2026 spotlights broader capital access for developing economies
With foreign direct investment heavily concentrated in a small number of markets, policymakers and business leaders are set to use the World Investment Forum 2026 in Doha to discuss how capital ...
Asia’s growth lead widens development gap across emerging economies
A group of leading Asian economies is extending its income and growth advantage over the rest of the developing world as global expansion slows in 2026. The widening gap is emerging as ...
UNCTAD says geoeconomics reshapes trade and development prospects
Global trade continues to expand even as governments use economic policy more aggressively to pursue strategic goals. UNCTAD says this shift is changing market access, supply chains and the ...
UNCTAD says developing countries can capture more value from biodiversity trade
With biodiversity-based products making up a growing share of global merchandise trade, developing economies are still capturing a limited portion of the market's higher-value activities. A new UN ...
Developing Asia keeps FDI lead as South-East Asia overtakes East Asia
Developing Asia remains the biggest destination for foreign direct investment among developing regions in 2025, drawing $644 billion as the internal balance of capital across the region shifts. ...
UNCTAD study shows NVIDIA captures most profit in AI server supply chain
As global demand for AI hardware expands, a new UNCTAD analysis highlights how the economic gains from advanced server production remain heavily concentrated despite a multinational manufacturing ...
Developing countries advance Borrowers’ Platform governance at Bangkok council meeting
Developing countries are moving to strengthen coordination on debt challenges as the Borrowers’ Platform begins its first annual cycle in Bangkok on 12 October. The meeting brings together ...
UNCTAD sees global growth slowing as Middle East energy shock tests trade
The global economy is set to lose momentum in 2026 as higher energy costs linked to the Middle East crisis weigh on activity and trade flows. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ...
Developing economies face higher debt servicing costs as UNCTAD warns of investment squeeze
Developing countries are allocating a growing share of public resources to debt servicing, reducing room for health, education and other core development spending. The pressure has intensified as ...
Africa attracts strategic investment as industrial conversion challenge persists
Africa draws about $70 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025, marking its third-highest annual total since 1990 despite falling short of the unusually high 2024 level. The inflows reflect ...
UNCTAD maps service needs to strengthen plastic pollution response
As global plastic production continues to rise, policymakers still lack clear trade data on the services needed to prevent waste, expand recycling and support clean-up efforts. A new UN Trade and ...
Latin America FDI rises, while new project pipeline weakens
Latin America and the Caribbean attract more foreign direct investment in 2025 even as the region faces a more uncertain global backdrop. The stronger inflow total masks a sharp drop in announced ...
China urges UN members to uphold postwar order amid rising geopolitical strains
With conflicts, development gaps and trade frictions weighing on the global agenda, China is using the UN General Assembly to press for stronger multilateral cooperation. Vice President Han Zheng ...
