MEDIA ADVISORY
PRESS BRIEFING
Thursday, 15 May 2025, 12:30 pm EDT
Live on UN WebTV
The report is under embargo until 15 May 2025, 12:30 pm EDT
A sudden escalation of trade tensions has sent shockwaves through the global economy, dampening growth prospects while fueling uncertainty and inducing financial market volatility. Trade-dependent economies face the greatest risks, as higher tariffs and evolving trade policies threaten to disrupt global supply chains, increase production costs, and delay critical investment decisions.
Tariff-driven price pressures are adding to inflation risks, complicating monetary policymaking. At the same time, trade barriers and heightened uncertainty are aggravating debt challenges by cutting export revenues, reducing foreign currency inflows, and tightening liquidity. Many developing countries, already constrained by limited fiscal space, may struggle to respond effectively, jeopardizing progress in sustainable development.
The World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2025 updates UN DESA’s economic forecasts from January 2025 and highlights the urgent need for stronger international cooperation to ease trade tensions and promote a stable, inclusive global economy.
WHAT: Press briefing to launch the
World Economic Situation and Prospects as of mid-2025
WHO: Shantanu Mukherjee
Director, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, UN DESA
Ingo Pitterle
Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Global Economic Monitoring Branch, Economic Analysis and Policy Division, UN DESA
WHEN: Thursday, 15 May 2025, 12:30 pm EDT
WHERE: UN Press Briefing Room, S-237
(Live on http://webtv.un.org)
The report will be available on 15 May, 12:30 pm EDT at https://desapublications.un.org/
Hashtag: #WorldEconomyReport
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Alexandra del Castello, UN Department of Global Communications, alexandra.delcastello@un.org
Helen Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, rosengrenh@un.org
EXPERT INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
Global Outlook
Mr. Shantanu Mukherjee, Director, Economic Analysis and Policy Division (English)
Mr. Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economic Affairs Officer (English, German)
Mr. Grigor Agabekian, Economic Affairs Officer (Russian)
Ms. Zhenqian Huang, Economic Affairs Officer (Chinese)
Mr. Sebastian Vergara, Economic Affairs Officer (Spanish)
Regional Outlooks
Africa
Ms. Katarzyna Rokosz, Associate Economic Affairs Officer (English, Polish)
Mr. Julian Slotman, Associate Economic Affairs Officer (English, Dutch)
Mr. Yasuhisa Yamamoto, Economic Affairs Officer (English)
North America
Mr. Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economic Affairs Officer (English, German)
Mr. Yasuhisa Yamamoto, Economic Affairs Officer (English)
East Asia
Ms. Zhenqian Huang, Economic Affairs Officer (English, Chinese)
South Asia
Ms. Danyira Perez, Associate Economic Affairs Officer (English, Spanish)
Western Asia
Ms. Berna Dogan, Economic Affairs Officer (English)
Europe, Economies in transition & Commonwealth of Independent States
Mr. Ingo Pitterle, Senior Economic Affairs Officer (English, German)
Mr. Grigor Agabekian, Economic Affairs Officer (English, Russian)
Latin America & the Caribbean
Mr. Sebastian Vergara, Economic Affairs Officer (English, Spanish)
