UNCTAD based the threats on a data-driven analysis titled “Sparing the Vulnerable: The Cost of New Tariff Burdens.”

Figures from the United Nations agency confirm that developing nations typically represent a minimal share of global trade; however, “they now face some of the steepest tariff increases.”

US tariffs, the entity explained, could exceed 25 percent by July 2025 for 22 developing economies, including seven least developed countries.

Some tariff increases, particularly on imports from China, have already exceeded 100 percent, even after recent adjustments, he added.

The taxes, they point out, are applied regardless of existing agreements or World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, affecting states that previously benefited from preferential conditions.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, tariff levels increased more than 40-fold (from less than 0.5 to 13 percent), while in Asia and Oceania (excluding China) the increase was 13 percent and could rise to 24 percent. Furthermore, key sectors such as agriculture and textiles—fundamental to many vulnerable economies—are “particularly exposed.”

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