Trade and Commerce

Workers on a ship with containers.

Following two consecutive quarters of decline, global trade in goods and services rebounded between January and March 2023. But prospects for the rest of the year are bleak, according to UNCTAD.

A woman stands in front of the stands full of product at her shop.

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70% of employment and 50% of GDP worldwide. Recent simultaneous shocks and crises have disturbed the working environment for entrepreneurs and MSMEs. This instability renders MSMEs especially vulnerable to inflation and supply chain disruptions - among the most vulnerable, women- and youth-owned enterprises. On this MSMEs Day, the United Nations advocates for policies that strengthen entrepreneurship for women and youth and support resilient supply chains to ensure workers and the environment benefit.

a man and a woman pull out fish from a fishing net

Angola boasts a vast coastline, ample labour in the fisheries sector and good trading relations with major fish importers in Europe and Asia. With the fish traded globally expected to rise from 187 million tons in 2018 to 250 million tons by 2030, Angola stands to benefit from this opportunity. Angola can create more jobs, trade opportunities, boost food security, improve livelihoods and reduce poverty by tapping more into the blue economy – the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth. UNCTAD is supporting Angola to build a sustainable, resilient and inclusive blue economy.

Three people on a ship look down at the grain cargo.

The extension of the Initiative is confirmed for another 60 days. The Initiative along with an UNCTAD managed agreement has moved food products and fertilizers helping to bring down food prices.

woman selling prepared food at a market in Niger

To improve road safety and increase access to markets, UNOPS provided project management and technical assistance for the rehabilitation of more than 300 kilometres of roads in Niger.

Workers prepare fish for canning.

A new UNCTAD report analyses the world’s ocean economy – worth an estimated $3-6 trillion – and assesses how human activity and multiple global crises have significantly affected different sectors.

A woman in uniform looks out of binoculars from a ship.

There is ample evidence that investing in women is the most effective way to lift communities, companies, and even countries. Nevertheless, there is still a significant gender imbalance in maritime. The International Day for Women in Maritime celebrates women in the industry and is intended to promote the recruitment, retention and sustained employment of women in the maritime sector, while raising the profile of women in maritime. Through its Women in Maritime programme, IMO makes the concerted effort to help the male-dominated maritime sector move towards gender equality. Watch a video on the Seawoman project.

Two women sit on the shore collecting seaweed

UNCTAD will host the third UN Trade Forum to identify trade policies to help countries grow their economies while tackling challenges and accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs.

A woman hands a plastic bag full of rice and other rations to another woman.

UNCTAD - in its latest Trade and Development Report Update - warns that developing countries are facing years of difficulty as the global economy slows down amid heightened financial turbulence. Annual growth across large parts of the global economy will fall below pre-pandemic levels and well below the decade of strong growth before the global financial crisis. Developing countries are facing a projected foregone income of $800 billion and battling unprecedented levels of debt distress. Global growth in 2023 is expected to drop to 2.1%, compared to the 2.2% projected in September 2022.

Two people in protective suits tend to a hive on a tree.

For 15 years, Mavilde de Assunção Alves has struggled to maintain her hives, which have dwindled from 15 to 8. After attending a UNCTAD training workshop, she’s more confident about the future.

Men on a turbine wheel

World trade hit a record $32 trillion in 2022, but growth turned negative in the last half of the year. Environmentally friendly products defied the trend.

food market in Bhutan

The Bhutanese government launched the ground-breaking G2B digital government portal, using UNCTAD’s customizable digital platform, making it the fastest place in the world to start a new business.

Women in uniform sit bunding vanilla beans.

Complex and stringent rules of origin, the “passport” for goods, can prevent businesses from taking advantage of trade preferences, according to a new study by UNCTAD.

a man working on a solar panel in a solar farm

Only eight years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. CEOs are calling for more concrete commitments to sustainability in businesses, according to the 12th UN Global Compact-Accenture CEO Study.  This year’s study, “Reimagining the agenda,” provides perspectives from a record 2,600+ CEOs across 128 countries and 18 industries. The report explores the challenges and uncertainties that business leaders face today and the opportunity surrounding sustainability as the path forward. The report will be presented at the World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland, 16-20 January).

A container terminal in the port of Shanghai, China.

Global trade should hit a record $32 trillion for 2022, but a slowdown that began in the second half of the year is expected to worsen in 2023 according to UNCTAD’s Global Trade Update.