The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 is a report produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and five United Nations regional commissions: the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The report will present a regional and global economic outlook for 2026 and underscore the importance of global cooperation and prudent policies to lift global growth and accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Heated competition for critical minerals is preying on weak governance and social cohesion, driving uncertainty and division across affected communities. And rising military expenditure is diverting scarce resources away from social spending, as countries spend more on instruments of war than on investments in peace.