UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned that trade wars yield no winners, his spokesperson said on Friday, following the latest US tariff policy.
The warning came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order introducing “reciprocal tariffs” on Wednesday, including a minimum 10-percent baseline tariff and potentially higher duties on select trade partners. The move has drawn widespread criticism.
Responding to questions on the policy, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reiterated concerns, stating, “In a trade war, nobody wins.”
He emphasized that the world’s most vulnerable nations are least prepared to navigate the economic fallout and warned that escalating trade conflicts could hinder progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) echoed these concerns in a separate statement, cautioning that the new US tariffs could significantly harm fragile economies.
It highlighted that the global trade system is at a critical juncture, with rising protectionism posing risks to growth, investment, and economic development—especially for the most vulnerable nations.
