Least Developed Countries

The United States is departing from nearly a century of declining tariffs that once made its rates among the world’s lowest. Amid exemptions, pauses, and country-specific rules, how high are the new tariffs facing developing countries?

Already grappling with low growth and mounting uncertainty, vulnerable and small economies, whose activities have a negligible effect on trade deficits, should be exempt from new tariff hikes.

While the need for trade reform is clear, UNCTAD stresses that the solution must come through dialogue and negotiation. Trade imbalances, concentrated gains and outdated rules must be addressed without sacrificing those least responsible.

Changes are necessary to make trade preferences more effective in fostering growth and export diversification of developing countries.

From UN Trade and Development, a statistical breakdown of the world’s uneven progress towards achieving shared prosperity on a sustainable planet by 2030.

The country’s nascent creative industries hold vast potential to help diversify its oil-dependent economy. To do so, greater investment and policy support are indispensable.

UNCTAD’s rapid assessment of the war’s impact on trade and development shows a rapidly worsening outlook for the world economy, with the situation especially alarming for African and least developed countries.