Newly released trade statistics from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) reveal a global trade landscape marked by robust overall growth but shadowed by significant regional disparities.
The data arrives at a pivotal moment, as global trade leaders gather in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) from 26 to 29 March 2026.
Amid rising unilateralism and geopolitical tensions, the joint report provides a “trusted and credible evidence base” to inform high-level negotiations on multilateral reform and development priorities.
The data highlights a resilient expansion in the value of international trade throughout 2025, covering both merchandise and services.
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Merchandise Exports: Global merchandise exports rose by 7.2%, reaching a total value of $26.3 trillion.
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Services Exports: The services sector continued its strong trajectory, surpassing $9.5 trillion—an 8.2% annual increase.
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Trade Balance: Developing economies as a whole recorded a modest increase in their aggregated trade surplus.
While the headline numbers are positive, the report underscores a widening gap between leading exporters and the rest of the world.
Merchandise Trends: The 8.7% surge in exports from developing economies was heavily concentrated in major Asian hubs. Notable performers include:
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Taiwan Province of China: +35.1%
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Viet Nam: +16.8%
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Hong Kong, China: +16.7%
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China: +5.5%
In Africa, several Least Developed Countries (LDCs) saw explosive growth from a smaller base, led by the Central African Republic (+110.3%), Burkina Faso (+96.4%), and Burundi (+89.6%).
Services Sector Insights: Africa emerged as a leader in services growth, with Northern Africa (+14%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (+13%) outpacing the global average. However, the report issues a stark warning: while developing nations are technically nearing the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for services market share, this progress is driven almost entirely by the top five exporters. Excluding these leaders, the remaining developing economies have actually lost market share over the past decade.
While most service categories flourished, transport services saw a stunted growth of just 2%. This stagnation is attributed to shifting tariff structures and heightened security concerns across critical international shipping routes.
“The collaboration between UNCTAD and the WTO provides the precise data needed to navigate a time of growing uncertainty,” the organizations stated. “This evidence is essential for MC14 delegates as they address the challenges facing the multilateral trading system.”
