Economic and Social Development
Executive summary
While artificial intelligence (AI) is far from an overnight sensation, the release of ChatGPT in November 2022 was a defining moment. It mobilized the global tech sector, corporations in other sectors, Governments and global investors. At the end of 2024, 90 per cent of Fortune 500 companies were using AI. A recent estimate projected $23 trillion in annual economic value from AI by 2040.
Introduction
The recent boom in generative AI has been astonishing. Since the free public release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022 and its 100 million monthly active users just two months later, it became the fastest growing consumer technology application in human history.
Key findings, key messages, and recommendations
In this section, drawn from the four preceding chapters, are key findings, key messages and recommendations, organized by the type of recommendation that each primarily represents. Most recommendations have more than one dimension. For example, some policy recommendations also encompass an investment dimension or a technical dimension. Similarly, some investment or technical recommendations also encompass a policy dimension.
Illustrative adaptations of AI for selected national vision goal areas in Arab region countries
The breadth and diversity of goals across the national visions of Arab region countries are considerable. The ways in which AI could be most meaningfully adapted will be different for different goals and different countries. Understanding and considering what AI adaptations to national goals might look like can help inform leaders’ thinking and decision-making. Several such adaptations are provided below as illustrative case studies. They depict what might be possible in the future, and in some cases, what is already being explored. In each case, the illustrations describe why the areas of effort are distinctively important in the Arab region; how AI can help create new kinds of valuable outcomes; and examples of where countries are already adapting AI innovations in these areas.
Preface
This report is the third in a series of analyses from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on megatrends.
Artificial Intelligence Futures for the Arab Region
This report presents a comprehensive analysis of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative global megatrend, specifically examining its far-reaching implications for the Arab region through 2040. It explores AI’s potential to revolutionize key sectors like healthcare, education, cultural preservation, and government services, driving innovation and reshaping economies across the region. The report identifies three strategic pathways for AI’s evolution in the Arab region: optimizing partnerships and technologies for local priorities, promoting cultural and linguistic identity through Arabic-language AI development, and leveraging AI to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond opportunities such as job creation and skill transformation, the report meticulously addresses the inherent risks and challenges associated with AI, including ethical concerns, data governance, and the potential for deepening inequalities. Concluding with a series of key findings and actionable strategic recommendations, it provides essential insights for government agencies, private sector stakeholders, and civil society. It serves as a vital guide for regional leaders, equipping them with the foresight and tools to proactively engage with AI and shape its trajectory for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development aligned with the Arab region’s unique visions and aspirations.
Acknowledgements
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) appreciates the valuable contributions of the following individuals and organizations to this studyand report.
Review of Maritime Transport 2025
Staying the Course in Turbulent Waters
In 2025, global maritime trade continues to navigate an environment marked by volatility, rerouted flows and uncertainty. Persistent geopolitical tensions and trade policy changes have altered shipping patterns, with many routes redirected away from traditional chokepoints. Maritime transport and trade face daunting challenges. Ships that once passed through the Red Sea in days now sail for weeks around the Cape of Good Hope. Freight rates are high and volatile. Port disruption is becoming chronic. Supply chain reliability and resilience are being put to the test. Longer routes have increased delays, costs and emissions, with developing countries hit hard by the disruptions and uncertainty. Deep transitions are also reshaping the sector. Technological, environmental and geoeconomic shifts are converging at a speed that requires rethinking how maritime transport operates. Alternative fuel vessels now represent over half of the ship tonnage of new orders, yet over 90% of the active fleet still runs on conventional fuels. Automation and digitalization promise efficiency but also heighten cyber risks. Maritime transport has weathered storms before. But never have so many transitions converged so quickly. The sector will adapt. The question is whether adaptation will be managed or chaotic, inclusive or divisive, sustainable or merely survivable. The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 provides the framework needed for informed action and sound policymaking to keep trade flowing in a turbulent world.
Acknowledgements
The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 was prepared by UNCTAD, under the overall guidance of Angel González Sanz and Torbjörn Fredriksson, Officers-in-Charge, Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD, by a team comprising Regina Asariotis (coordination), Mark Assaf, Celine Bacrot, Hassiba Benamara, Liliane Flour, Poul Hansen, Argyro Kepesidi, Tomasz Kulaga, Luisa Rodríguez, Hidenobu Tokuda, Frida Youssef and Arouna Zorome. The report also benefited from internal review and feedback from across UNCTAD.
World shipping fleet and services
In 2024 and the first half of 2025, global shipping continued to navigate uncertainty and volatility amid ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea and Black Sea. Starting in 2025, new developments amplified existing challenges.
Port performance and maritime trade facilitation
The performance of ports – key transport nodes that facilitate trade – is pivotal to the competitiveness of maritime transport chains. Efficient port operations reduce delays, lower transaction costs and enhance the seamless movement of goods across international borders.
Note
The Review of Maritime Transport is a recurrent publication prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat since 1968 with the aim of fostering the transparency of maritime markets and analysing relevant developments. Any factual or editorial corrections that may prove necessary, based on comments made by Governments, will be reflected in a corrigendum to be issued subsequently.
Freight rates and maritime transport costs
Freight rate volatility is becoming the new normal across all shipping segments, driven by continued geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policy, regulatory developments, and persistent supply and demand imbalances. Considering trends discussed in chapters I and II, this chapter analyses freight rate developments in the container, dry bulk and tanker shipping segments from January 2024 to mid-2025.