UN Warns Global Growth Remains Below Pre-COVID Levels
Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, told a news outlet that the global economy is expected to expand by 2.7% this year and 2.9% in 2027, falling short of the pre-COVID average of 3.2% recorded between 2010 and 2019. These projections are drawn from the UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects report released this month.
“This subdued growth outlook increasingly reflects deep-rooted structural constraints rather than cyclical weakness,” Li said.
He highlighted weak investment as a major pressure on global growth, noting that foreign direct investment has been particularly slow in developing countries. While artificial intelligence promises significant productivity gains, he emphasized that these benefits are concentrated in only a few large economies.
Li also pointed to high public debt as a constraint, noting that growing interest burdens are consuming larger portions of national budgets and limiting spending on infrastructure, human capital, and climate resilience.
He warned that structural challenges—including weak investment, limited policy space, uneven technological access, and rising climate risks—will continue to shape the global growth trajectory beyond 2026.
“Without decisive policy action to boost investment, build resilience, and enable broader technological participation, there is a growing risk that the global economy could settle into a persistently slower growth path than in the pre-pandemic era,” Li said.
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