World merchandise trade is now projected to grow 0.9% in 2025, up from the -0.2% contraction forecasted in April but down from the 2.7% estimate pre-dating the tariff increases. The upgrade is mostly due to frontloading of imports in the United States, WTO economists said in a forecast update released on 8 August. However, higher tariffs over time will wei...
SummaryAt its meeting on 24 July 2025, the Governing Council decided to keep the three key ECB interest rates unchanged. Inflation is currently at the 2% medium-term target. The incoming information is broadly in line with the Governing Council’s previous assessment of the inflation outlook. Domestic price pressures have continued to ease, with wages grow...
13th Ministerial Conference WTO members concluded the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi on 2 March 2024 with the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration setting out a forward-looking, reform agenda for the organization. Ministers also took a number of ministerial decisions, including renewing the commitment to have ...
Ministers responsible for telecommunications, information and communications technology (ICT) and digital policy from the 21 APEC member economies gathered in Incheon for the first-ever APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, a milestone moment in the region’s digital cooperation.The meeting underscores the growing urgency for trusted, reliable and human...
Plastics have fueled global growth across various industries, but at an increasing environmental, economic, and social cost.Today, plastic pollution represents a systemic and transboundary crisis, disproportionately affecting developing countries that have limited capacity for waste management.$1.1 trillion in plastic trade, but 75% ends up as wasteIn 2023...
KEY MESSAGES• Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a transformative tool for advancing more resilient, efficient and smarter energy systems. AI can enhance grid forecasting, optimisation and situational awareness while improving demand management. It strengthens energy security by boosting efficiency in energy intensive sectors and supporting th...
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYKEY FINDINGS: Uneven progress and persistent gaps demand urgent actionIt has been 10 years since the APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard was first launched in 2015. Monitoring movements in indicators in the last 15 years shows considerable progress in some aspects of women’s participation in economic activity. However, most indicator...
KEY POINTS:1. APEC growth moderates in Q1 2025 as elevated uncertainty and geopolitical headwinds dampened demand, with early trade gains providing only temporary support.2. Merchandise trade registers solid growth in Q1 2025 from frontloaded shipments ahead of anticipated restrictive measures, but momentum may ease as transitory factors fade.3. APEC stand...
The National Treasury of South Africa and the African Development Bank Group co-hosted the first consultative meeting on “South Africa’s Legacy Initiative to accelerate Cross-Border Infrastructure in Africa: The Ubuntu Approach”. The Initiative is premised on one of South Africa’s key deliverables under the G20 Infrastructure Working Group, a ...
The Trump administration’s tariff agenda entered a new phase in late summer 2025, marked by sweeping policy expansions. In July, the administration introduced new reciprocal tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), alongside additional country-specific IEEPA surcharges on Brazil and India. New duties were also imposed under S...
