The United Nations has appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump to reconsider the blanket application of high tariffs on global trade, warning that such measures could severely damage the economies of some of the world’s most vulnerable nations.
The call was made on Monday through the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which emphasized that many of the affected countries are too small to pose any real threat to the U.S. economy.
According to the body, imposing steep tariffs on developing economies may do little to benefit U.S. trade but could trigger significant setbacks in global economic progress.
Advertisement
UNCTAD highlighted concerns over the inclusion of several low-income countries in Trump’s updated tariff regime, noting that these nations rely heavily on exports for economic survival.
Products like cocoa, vanilla, and textiles from Africa and Southeast Asia are among the goods affected, with experts cautioning that increased duties could spark inflationary pressures in the U.S. market while crippling exporters in weaker economies.
Despite Trump’s argument that stronger trade barriers are necessary to protect American industries, critics argue that targeting countries with limited export volumes does not align with those goals.
Many of the listed countries generate only a fraction of U.S. imports and contribute minimally to trade deficits.
UNCTAD sees the current pause in tariff implementation as a window for policy reassessment.
“The current 90-day pause presents an opportunity to reassess how small and vulnerable economies – including the least developed countries – are treated,” the body stated.
“This is a critical moment to consider exempting them from tariffs that offer little to no advantage for US trade policy but risk causing serious economic harm.”
As global trade tensions linger, the UN warns that escalating economic policies could widen inequality and hurt fragile economies.
