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What's the Borrowers' Platform?

A container vessel in a port

Global trade growth continues, but rising fragility weighs on developing economies

A graph showing the number of developing countries by change in fiscal space (interest payments as a share of government revenue), 2018–2024

The rising cost of debt is squeezing development prospects

A line graph shows Strait of Hormuz disruptions are a shock to global trade, which is expected to slow

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain

Developing countries launch first-ever Borrowers’ Platform

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Developing countries launch first-ever Borrowers’ Platform

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What's the Borrowers' Platform?

A container vessel in a port

Global trade growth continues, but rising fragility weighs on developing economies

A graph showing the number of developing countries by change in fiscal space (interest payments as a share of government revenue), 2018–2024

The rising cost of debt is squeezing development prospects

A line graph shows Strait of Hormuz disruptions are a shock to global trade, which is expected to slow

Hormuz disruption deepens global economic strain

Featured publications

Global Trade Update (April 2026): Global trade growth continues, but fragility rises

Global Trade Update (April 2026): Global trade growth continues, but fragility rises

Cover for Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Strait of Hormuz disruptions: Growth and financial implications

Cover for Beyond creative accounting: Restoring trust in the climate finance regime

Beyond creative accounting: Restoring trust in the climate finance regime

Cover for The implications of critical energy transition minerals for women’s participation in the mining sector

The implications of critical energy transition minerals for women’s participation in the mining sector

Cover for The cumulative economic cost of occupation for the Palestinian people (2000–2024) and the long road to recovery

The cumulative economic cost of occupation for the Palestinian people (2000–2024) and the long road to recovery

More publications

More news

A worker harvests coffee in the city of Itabela, Brazil.

31 Mar 2026

Measuring South–South Cooperation is critical to achieving sustainable development

30 Mar 2026

Accelerating trade facilitation: UK funding backs next phase of global programme

26 Mar 2026

UNCTAD-WTO trade data highlights shifting global trends ahead of key ministerial talks

26 Mar 2026

Services trade surges, but developing countries risk falling behind

25 Mar 2026

When trade preferences weaken, development pays the price

24 Mar 2026

Seaweed for development: Who sets the rules and who captures the value?

17 Mar 2026

Reforming global trade rules key to supporting developing economies

All news

Data stories

Line graph showing that when gas prices go up, fertilizer prices often go up

Fertilizer disruptions raise risks for food security and trade

A graph showing how energy markets have reacted to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Energy markets react immediately to Strait of Hormuz disruptions

Graph showing developing countries' external debt hit $11.4 trillion in 2023 – 99% of their export earnings

Developing countries’ external debt hits record $11.4 trillion

Map showing that South-South cooperation from Latin America and the Caribbean is primarly intraregional

Measuring South–South Cooperation is critical to achieving sustainable development

Line chart showing the number of discriminatory policies issued per year

Discriminatory trade measures have surged, fuelling uncertainty

More data stories

Meetings and events

MYEM on services

15 – 16 April 2026

Multi-year expert meeting on trade, services and development, 12th session

Geneva, Switzerland

16 April 2026

Workshop to present and validate the national assessment on sustainable food supply chains and trade policy for Barbados

Bridgetown, Barbados

17 April 2026

P166 short courses on key international economic and development issues for Geneva-based delegates

Geneva, Switzerland

20 – 24 April 2026

Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 29th session

Geneva, Switzerland

4 – 5 May 2026

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Geneva, Switzerland

11 – 13 May 2026

Intergovernmental group of experts on e-commerce and the digital economy, 9th session

Geneva, Switzerland

All meetings and events

Videos

Borrowers' Platform: Toward a fairer global financial system

WTO MC14: UNCTAD calls for bolstering the multilateral trading system and investment in developing countries

Global Trade Update (March 2026): Reforming trade rules to drive development

Secretary-General

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD from 13 September 2021

Geneva, Switzerland

Rebeca Grynspan

Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica was appointed the eighth Secretary-General of UNCTAD on 13 September 2021. She is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the organization.

Read more about Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General

Statements

25 March 2026

World Trade Organization MC14 multistakeholder ministerial event: Scaling up investment facilitation to mobilize investment

Yaoundé, Cameroon

25 March 2026

World Trade Organization MC14 ministerial side event on trade in services for development

Yaoundé, Cameroon

25 March 2026

World Trade Organization Landlocked Developing Countries Ministerial Meeting

Yaoundé, Cameroon

More statements