Participation of developing economies in the
global trading system
Note by the Secretariat[1]
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
1
Executive Summary. 3
2 Introduction.. 3
3 Merchandise trade. 4
3.1 Overview. 4
3.2 Major
traders. 6
3.3
Pre-pandemic comparison. 8
3.4
Merchandise trade by product category. 9
3.5 Major
trading partners. 11
3.6
South-South trade. 12
4 Commercial services trade. 12
4.1 Overview. 12
4.2 Major
traders. 13
4.3
Pre-pandemic comparison. 15
4.4 Commercial
services trade by sector 16
4.5 Major
trading partners. 17
4.6
South-South trade. 18
5 Challenges and opportunities for developing economies'
participation in international trade. 19
6 Annex. 23
6.1
Merchandise exports of developing economies and regions, 2020‑2022. 23
6.2
Merchandise imports of developing economies and regions, 2020‑2022. 27
6.3 Commercial
services exports of developing economies and regions, 2020‑2022. 31
6.4 Commercial
services imports of developing economies and regions, 2020‑2022. 35
6.5 Top 20
developing economies' agricultural exports. 39
6.6 Top 20
developing economies' non-agricultural exports. 40
6.7
Composition of reporter and partner groups. 41
Table of Charts
Chart 1:
Merchandise trade developments over recent years, in volume. 4
Chart 2: Drivers of
developing economies' merchandise trade, in volume. 5
Chart 3:
Merchandise trade developments over recent years, in value. 6
Chart 4: Major developing economies
merchandise traders. 7
Chart 5: Changes in
merchandise trade, by economy. 8
Chart 6: Merchandise export developments
through the COVID-19 pandemic. 8
Chart 7: Developing
economies' merchandise exports, 2022 compared to 2019. 9
Chart 8: Developing
economies' merchandise exports, by product category. 10
Chart 9: Developing
economies' merchandise imports, by product category. 11
Chart 10: Major
destinations for developing economies' merchandise exports. 11
Chart 11:
Merchandise South-South trade in comparison. 12
Chart 12:
Commercial services trade developments over recent years. 13
Chart 13: Major
developing economies commercial services traders. 14
Chart 14: Changes
in commercial services trade, by economy. 15
Chart 15: Commercial services export developments
through the COVID-19 pandemic. 15
Chart 16:
Developing economies' commercial services exports, 2022 compared to 2019. 16
Chart 17: Examples
of developing economies' commercial services exports. 17
Chart 18: Major
destinations for developing economies' commercial services exports. 18
Chart 19:
Commercial services South-South trade in comparison. 18
Chart 20:
Commercial services South-South trade by region. 19
Chart 21: Major
exported products and price developments of selected products. 20
Chart 22:
Comparison of trade costs across time and between regions. 21
Chart 23: Digitally
delivered trade and digital connectivity by country group. 22
[1] This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own
responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of Members or to their
rights and obligations under the WTO.