📢Update: 2024 data now available for SDG 9.1.2 indicators on UNCTADstat Data Centre.

South-South cooperation goes beyond financial support.

In Latin America & the Caribbean, 99% of reported cooperation is non-financial, with 14% non-monetized – delivered as goods, food, medicine, or technical expertise.

More insights: https://ow.ly/zhE450YEyr3

South–South cooperation is booming – but much of it remains invisible in the data.

This is because existing metrics do not fully reflect the scope of financial and non-financial cooperation.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is working to close the gap.

Read more: https://ow.ly/f7Fh50YEwNN

Malaga (Spain) recorded the strongest growth in the Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index over the period, with its connectivity increasing by 1187%.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-271
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/PLSCI

Monthly liner shipping connectivity during the period from 2023 to early 2026 shows the persistent dominance of China.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-246
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/LSCI_m

Liner shipping connectivity gains were more widespread than losses, highlighting continued unevenness across countries in the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-246
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/LSCI

UNCTAD estimated that global exports of creative services reached a record of $1.7 trillion in 2024 – more than twice the value of $709 billion recorded for the exports of creative goods.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-233
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/creative_eco...

The UNCTAD Commodity Price Index was 8.8% higher in February 2026 than a year earlier. The sub-index of minerals, ores and metals continued rising rapidly (+58.6%).

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-242
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/UCPI_M

Developing economies maintained a substantial trade surplus in goods and services in 2024, rising to $855 billion from $706 billion in 2023. This increase was driven by a larger goods surplus.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-88
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/goodsandserv...

A 95% drop in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – from around 130 ships a day to just 6 in March.

One of the world’s key energy corridors is nearly closed, amplifying strain across global trade, living costs and financial markets.

UNCTAD analysis: https://ow.ly/oP4e50YC0Yq

World export volumes grew by 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2025, slightly higher than the 0.7% increase recorded in the third quarter. Export growth in developing economies accelerated to 1.5%. 📊Read the insight: https://bit.ly/insight-229 🔢Get the data: http://stats.unctad.org/merchvolume

World export volumes grew by 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2025, slightly higher than the 0.7% increase recorded in the third quarter.
Export growth in developing economies accelerated to 1.5%.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-229
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/merchvolume

Global trade is expanding, but growth is uneven, according to new UNCTAD-WTO data.

Disparities across regions underscore the urgent need for trade reform to address development priorities – providing vital insights to inform #WTOMC14 discussions.

Read more: https://ow.ly/Ize850YzRUe

As a group, developing economies are moving towards #SDG target 17.11. However, excluding the top 5 exporters, many countries have lost market share over the last decade.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-230
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/servicescat_...

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are sending shockwaves worldwide.

Rising energy, fertilizer and transport costs – including freight, fuel and insurance – could push up food prices and worsen cost-of-living pressures for the most vulnerable.

More: https://ow.ly/JqTO50YxBs8

About 25% of global seaborne oil and key LNG & fertilizer shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Ongoing military escalation is disrupting this vital chokepoint.

Explore the trade & development implications: https://ow.ly/2m5n50YwrtO

All main services categories witnessed a solid expansion in international trade in 2025, except transport. Transport services exports grew by 2% amidst tariff changes and transport-routes security considerations.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-231
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/servicescat_...

In another year of strong growth, world #services exports surpassed $9.5 trillion in 2025, marking an 8% annual increase.
Region-wise, the highest growth was estimated for Africa.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-230
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/servicescat_...

In Belize, experts across disciplines come together to strengthen national statistics for a low-carbon ocean-based economy.

This is part of UN-backed efforts to use AI & data innovation for evidence-based #ClimateAction in Caribbean small island developing states.

More: https://ow.ly/eU7550Ywghq

Marine fuel prices are climbing sharply as tensions in the Strait of Hormuz ripple through global shipping.

Higher bunker costs add further pressure on maritime transport and supply chains.

Explore the broader implications for trade and development: https://ow.ly/BlOs50YsRWj

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz risk rippling across global markets.

Rising energy and food costs may add pressure on developing economies, where high debt and borrowing costs limit their ability to absorb price shocks.

Read more: https://ow.ly/uLxL50YtuBS

The Strait of Hormuz is a key global shipping chokepoint, carrying about a quarter of seaborne oil and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas and fertilizers.

What do current disruptions mean for global trade and development?

UNCTAD analysis: https://ow.ly/ztg250YrRQJ

The UNCTAD Commodity Price Index was 9.8% higher in January 2026 than a year earlier, with a continuing increase in minerals, ores and metals (+64.2%), counteracting falls in fuels and food.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-242
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/UCPI_M

Personal remittances consist of compensation of employees and personal transfers.
In 2024, the top recipient developing economies for remittances inflows was India with $137.7 billion.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-296
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/remittances

In 2024, global real GDP grew by 2.8%, below the pre-pandemic average of about 3%.
Least Developed Countries, maintained the same growth rate of 3.9% but still below the 7% SDG growth target.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-gdp
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/gdp

📊 Empowering countries to compile trade-in-services data with TiSSTAT

🗓 19 Feb 2026
⏰ 09:30–11:00 CET
💻 bit.ly/46gsDAZ

The webinar will highlight how #TiSSTAT helps NSOs and central banks improve the quality and comparability of trade-in-services statistics.

How trade data is reshaping the fight against plastic pollution By the time plastic reaches landfills, and pollutes rivers or the ocean, the most consequential decisions have already been taken — in design, production choices and trade.

Trade data is becoming a key tool in tackling plastic pollution.

Using customs data from nearly 200 economies, UNCTAD tracks how plastics & alternatives move across borders — helping governments align trade policy with action to #BeatPlasticPollution.

https://ow.ly/spzj50Yf3sW

🚢📊 New #SDG 9.1.2 data series now available on #UNCTADstat

🔹 Freight loaded & unloaded (IS_RDP_LULFRG)
unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/d...

🔹 Container port traffic (IS_RDP_PORFVOL)
unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/d...

More SDG series coming soon.

Services must complement manufacturing to deliver economic growth for countries. LDC must face the challenge of accelerating growth and creating quality jobs fast. Learn more by reading the full report: https://ow.ly/6G9p50YgYjJ

Despite global growth in services trade, least developed countries ran a $42B deficit in 2024 as services imports hit a record $93.8B.

The imbalance – where exports like travel & transport are vulnerable to crises while imports aren’t – drove this gap: https://ow.ly/WIgG50YbOnN

UNCTAD Commodity Price index #UCPI recorded a slight rebound in 2025 (+1.5%).
The index excluding fuels reached its highest level ever in the 30 years of its compilation.

📊Read the insight: bit.ly/insight-242
🔢Get the data: stats.unctad.org/UCPI_A