Infrastructure and products linked to artificial intelligence helped drive merchandise trade growth in 2025 and early 2026. Outside these sectors, momentum remained modest.Global trade in goods started 2026 on a strong footing. But much of the momentum came from AI-related products rather than broad-based trade growth.In the United States, imports of "...
Senior officials from APEC economies convened for their second meeting of the year in Shanghai against a backdrop of growing global economic uncertainty, with discussions focused on openness, innovation and cooperation as the region seeks to sustain growth and deepen regional integration.Opening the Second APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting, China’s Deputy F...
The Eleventh Annual Meeting of the New Development Bank (NDB) Board of Governors (BoG, Board) was held in Moscow, Russia, on May 14-15, 2026. Organized under the theme “Development Financing in an Era of Technological Revolution,” the two-day event brought together hundreds of participants, including Ministers, high-level government officials, members of...
A new programme is set to help Jordanian businesses sell online, reach new markets, and compete more effectively in the digital economy. The programme is co-implemented by The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to support Jordanian small businesses selling online. Together, the two organizations ...
On 19 May 2026, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) will host the webinar, ‘From misinformation to empowerment – Media literacy for youth and adults in the age of AI’. The event is part of the UIL global webinar series, ‘Unlocking the power of lifelong learning’, bringing together stakeholders from across the globe every first and third W...
While the UK economy has remained resilient in recent years, the war in the Middle East is dampening near-term prospects. Growth is projected to slow to 1.0 percent this year, then gradually recover as the shock dissipates. Higher energy prices are expected to push inflation up temporarily and delay the return to the central bank’s target by about one yea...
APEC economies met in Shanghai this week to advance work on regional trade and investment priorities ahead of the Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Suzhou on 22–23 May, focusing discussions on economic integration, supply chain resilience, digital trade and efforts to reduce barriers to cross-border commerce.At the APEC Committee on Trade and Inv...
Following a successful first edition that reached more than 23,000 registered participants, UNESCO announces the opening of the second cohort of its free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): "Educating in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Digital Citizenship from the Classroom."UNESCO Montevideo15 May 2026SummaryRegistration and CertificationThis...
APEC economies this week explored ways to strengthen women’s participation in the digital economy, green transition and entrepreneurship, as policymakers and experts examined how structural barriers continue to limit economic opportunities for women across the Asia-Pacific.Meeting in Shanghai, officials from APEC’s Policy Partnership on Women and the Eco...
Representatives and food safety regulators from APEC’s member economies convened in Shanghai on Tuesday to reduce food safety risks and mitigate trade barriers through standard harmonization.Opening the Food Safety Cooperation Forum, Wang Jun, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China, underscored the importance of food safety cooper...
