The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development published its annual Global Trade Update on Friday, revealing that while international trade in services has reached record volumes, the gap between advanced economies and least-developed countries in digital exports and artificial intelligence readiness is widening at an alarming pace.
Total global merchandise and services trade is on track to exceed $33 trillion in 2026, driven primarily by digitally-delivered services, cloud computing infrastructure, and cross-border data flows. However, the report found that the 46 nations classified as least-developed countries collectively account for less than 0.4 percent of global digitally-delivered services exports.
"The digital divide is no longer just about internet access — it is about AI readiness, data governance capacity, and the ability to participate in increasingly automated global value chains," said UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan.
The report recommends targeted investments in digital infrastructure, regulatory harmonisation, and technology transfer mechanisms to prevent the emergence of a permanent "two-tier" global trading system.
