Global megatrends such as income inequality, climate change, demographic shifts, technological progress, and urbanisation are shaping the future of societies. Yet, their quantitative impacts on development are neither well understood nor established.
The report forecasts global economic growth to 2.6% in 2024, barely above the 2.5% threshold commonly associated with a recessionary phase. The report says the prevailing focus on inflation overshadows urgent issues like trade disruptions, climate change and rising inequalities.
Food insecurity has been increasing dramatically. In 2022, 258 million people in 58 countries faced acute food insecurity, an increase of 34 per cent from the previous year. Trade can be an important enabler of economic development and the smooth flow of agricultural trade is a necessary condition for food security.
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows in 2023, at an estimated $1.37 trillion, showed a marginal increase (+3%) over 2022, defying expectations as recession fears early in the year receded and financial markets performed well. However, economic uncertainty and higher interest rates did affect global investment.
Access to safe and nutritious food is essential for good health and is linked to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
The government of Malawi, under its recent national development strategy and vision (Malawi 2063), plans to transform the country into an upper-middle-income country by 2063. Achieving this goal will require strengthening efforts to foster high and sustained economic growth.
The SDG Pulse is UNCTAD’s annual publication reporting on developments relating to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of this report is threefold: To provide an update on the evolution of a selection of official SDG indicators and complementary data and statistics.
UNCTAD’s Least Developed Countries Report 2023 calls on the global community to urgently address the critical financial challenges faced by the world’s 46 most vulnerable nations.
UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Report 2023 warns that the global economy is stalling, with growth slowing in most regions compared with last year and only a few countries bucking the trend.
UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2023 calls for a “just and equitable transition” to a decarbonized shipping industry. The sector, whose greenhouse gas emissions have risen 20% over the last decade, operates an ageing fleet that runs almost exclusively on fossil fuels.
