Section outline

  • This short course will examine recent developments in the global economic landscape and present the main findings of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2026, which focuses on the growing importance of geoeconomics in shaping international trade and development. It will also review recent macroeconomic trends and the outlook for the world economy in 2027, with particular attention to the challenges faced by developing countries in a period of heightened global uncertainty.

    The course will explore how increasing geoeconomic fragmentation is reshaping the development landscape by eroding the benefits of globalization and widening technological, strategic, and financial gaps between developed and developing economies. As strategic considerations increasingly shape economic policymaking, many developing countries face persistent constraints that limit their participation in higher value-added activities, including insufficient productive capacities, technological capabilities, and underdeveloped domestic financial systems.

    The course will also provide an opportunity to discuss the policy implications of these developments and foster dialogue between Geneva-based delegates and UNCTAD on strategies to promote inclusive and sustainable development in an increasingly fragmented global economy.

    At the end of this course, delegates will have gained knowledge of:

    • Recent developments in the global economy and the macroeconomic outlook for 2027.
    • The main findings and policy messages of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Report 2026.
    • How geoeconomic fragmentation is affecting trade, investment, technology, and development prospects for developing countries.
    • The structural challenges that limit developing countries' participation in higher value-added segments of the global economy.
    • Policy options for strengthening resilience, productive capacities, and sustainable development in an increasingly uncertain global environment.