Multilateralism – UNCTAD SDG Pulse 2025

Attaining the sustainable development goals through trade

sonia — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 09:22:50 +0000

SDG indicators

Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Target 17.11: Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020.
Indicator 17.11.1: Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports (Tier I)

Since 2020, the world has faced many crises, including climate change, the war in Ukraine, the ongoing war in Gaza, other geopolitical tensions, and food and energy insecurity, that disrupt trade flows and threaten progress towards the SDGs. The growth of global merchandise trade is slowing, and geopolitical fragmentation hampers industrialization efforts of developing economies.

In the report to the Sixteenth Conference of UNCTAD, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD underscored the role of trade as a critical engine for economic transformation, particularly for developing economies striving for inclusive growth and resilience -—
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—-. Strengthening productive capacities through trade is key to reducing vulnerability and enabling structural transformation.

Developing economies maintain a strong global export presence; LDCs still fall short of global export target

In 2024, developing economies accounted for 41% of global exports, up slightly from 40% in 2012. This stability underscores their enduring role in global trade, even amid shifting economic and geopolitical conditions.

SDG target 17.11 calls for a significant increase in developing countries’ exports, with a specific aim to double the share of LDCs in global exports from 1% in 2011 to 2% by 2020, a goal reaffirmed in the Istanbul -—
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—- Programmes of Action. Yet more than a decade later, progress has fallen short. In 2024, LDCs accounted for just 1.03% of global exports, up only marginally from 0.96% in 2012. These figures highlight the persistent structural barriers — limited diversification, weak infrastructure and small productive bases — that continue to constrain export growth in LDCs.

By contrast, SIDS increased their combined share of global exports of goods and services from 3.0% in 2012 to 3.4% in 2024, driven by gains in tourism, digital services, and creative sectors. While their overall share remains modest, this upward trend suggests the growing potential of services-led development pathways in vulnerable economies.

Figure 1. LDCs are not on track to reach SDG Target 17.11 to significantly increase their share in global exports

Percentage of global exports (SDG 17.11.1)

Source: UNCTADstat -—
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Note: Data on trade in services for the latest year are preliminary annual estimates based on the most recent quarterly figures (BPM6). Data on trade in goods for the latest year are estimates based on Comtrade, international and national sources.

Only a few developing economies reach a notable share of global exports of goods and services.

Between 2014 and 2024, only a limited number of developing economies achieved notable gains in their share of global exports of goods and services. Djibouti recorded an eightfold increase, while Guinea’s share rose sixfold. Armenia and Sao Tome and Principe quadrupled their global export shares, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Viet Nam, and Cambodia tripled their export shares, and economies such as Niue, Mongolia, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan doubled theirs. China also expanded its share by 32%, reaching 12% in 2024 from 9% in 2011. In contrast, several developing economies, including Yemen, Lebanon, Guyana, Kiribati, Sudan, Suriname and Angola, experienced a decline in their global export shares over the same period.

Map 1. Only a limited number of developing economies reach a notable share of global exports of goods and services

Percentage (SDG 17.11.1)

Source: UNCTADstat -—
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No additional trade decoupling

U.S. - China trade ties showed no further decoupling in 2024.

In 2024, trade interdependence between the United States and China remained unchanged from 2023, with no further shifts in bilateral trade shares. The trend of geopolitical realignment, or friend-shoring, continued, but without additional decoupling. Between 2017 and 2024, the United States’ share of Chinese exports declined by more than 4 percentage points, largely due to the tariff escalations of 2018 and 2019. Similarly, China’s share of the United States’ imports contracted by 8 percentage points over the same period.

Figure 2. Bilateral trade dependence between China and the United States has stalled

Import and export dependence, percentage

Source: UNCTADstat -—
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Note: Year 2024 figures are provisional, based on national statistics. China export dependence on the United States is calculated as China exports to the United States over total China exports. The United States import dependence on China is calculated as United States imports from China over total United States imports. The overall trade interdependence is calculated as bilateral trade (imports + exports) of United States and China over the sum of total trade of the two economies.

References

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Donec tincidunt vel mauris a dignissim. Curabitur sodales nunc id vestibulum tempor. Nunc tortor orci, sodales nec eros eget.

Most developing economies lost market share in services exports over the last decade; only a few leading exporters thrive

sonia — Sun, 24 Feb 2019 12:58:06 +0000

SDG indicators

Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Target 17.11: Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2030.
Indicator 17.11.1: Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports (Tier I)

Reaching $8.8 trillion in 2024, services represented 27% of global international trade and grew by 9% from the previous year. Developing economies exported some $2.6 trillion worth of services, accounting for 30% of world exports and marking a 10% annual increase. As a group, developing economies are moving towards the SDG goal of capturing a higher market share. However, removing their five leading exporters paints a gloomier picture for the group. Many developing economies have lost market share over the last decade.

Figure 1. Developing economies’ share in world services exports have become ever more concentrated in a few leading exporters

Percentage, countries grouped by rank in cumulative exports value 2022-2024 (SDG 17.11.1)

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—- (based on UNCTAD-WTO trade-in-services data set).

Note: 2024 figures are preliminary.

Five leading exporters apart, the remaining developing economies captured only 13% of the global services market in 2024.

Knowledge-intensive services – such as financial, telecommunications, computer, professional, technical, audio-visual, or intellectual property related services – were boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic and with the rapid advancement of information technology and AI use. These categories witnessed a faster expansion than transport or travel, which were still recovering from the pandemic slowdown. Many developing economies, particularly among SIDS and LDCs, rely more on international travel and transport in their services exports.

LDCs’ share in global services exports dropped from the 15-year peak 0.7% in 2019 to 0.5% in 2024.

LDCs achieved a very solid 9% growth in services exports in 2024. Yet they are still falling short of the SDG target 17.11 to double their exports market share (figure 2). Their share dropped from 0.7% in 2019 to an estimated 0.5% in 2024. Although LDCs’ exports of transport and travel services recovered after 2021, their participation remained low in the trade of knowledge-intensive services. Most of those services are digitally traded and it has been an important growth sector in recent years.

Figure 2. Less competitive in knowledge-intensive services trade, LDCs lost services market share since the COVID-19 pandemic

Total services exports of LDCs (billions of dollars) and LDCs' market share (percentage)

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—- (based on UNCTAD-WTO trade-in-services data set).

Note: 2024 figures are preliminary.

For developing economies, the concentration of services exports with the leading exporters has accentuated.

The five leading services exporters among developing economies account for a compelling 56% of total services exports of the group. The five economies – China, India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Türkiye - jointly outweigh the rest of developing economies in the exports of transport, goods related services, and other services^*. Only in travel do the remaining economies hold a larger market share, that is 66% of total travel exports of developing economies. The concentration of exports with the leading exporters has accentuated in recent years. For example, in 2010, the same five leaders exported an already high 46% of developing economies' other services sold abroad. The latest estimates for 2024 point to 65 %. (Other services are defined under figure 3).

Figure 3. Five leading services exporters among developing economies accounted for more than half of the group’s exports in 2024

Services exports of developing economies by broad service categories (billions of dollars)

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—- (based on UNCTAD-WTO trade-in-services data set).

Note: 2024 figures are preliminary.
Other services comprise construction, financial, insurance, telecommunication, computer, information and other business services, IP-related charges, and personal, cultural and recreational services. Most of these services are characterized by higher knowledge-intensive input and can be digitally traded.

References

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Donec tincidunt vel mauris a dignissim. Curabitur sodales nunc id vestibulum tempor. Nunc tortor orci, sodales nec eros eget.