UNCTAD Projects Slower Global Growth in 2026 as Trade and Technology Gaps Widen
Global economic growth is projected to ease to 2.6% in 2026 from 2.9% in 2025, with UNCTAD warning of growing barriers for developing economies.
UNITED NATIONS,ECONOMY
Global N Press
10/9/20261 min read
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projected that the global economy would grow by 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.9% in 2025, as developing economies face mounting trade, technology and policy barriers. In its Trade and Development Report 2026, the UN agency forecast growth of 4% for developing economies, compared with 4.7% last year, while global trade in goods and services was expected to expand by about 4% in real terms. Global trade reached a record $35 trillion in 2025, but UNCTAD said the benefits of expanding commerce remained unevenly distributed.
Trade between China and the United States has fallen by more than 20% since 2024, while East Asian economies have strengthened trade links with both China and North America. The report identified artificial intelligence as an increasingly important driver of trade, although its gains remain concentrated in a limited number of economies. UNCTAD called for stronger regional cooperation, investment in domestic industries, technology transfer and policies that help developing countries move into higher-value segments of global supply chains. The findings highlight growing disparities in the global economy despite continued trade expansion.
