'The wrong approach': UNIDO warns U.S. tariffs risk global jobs, growth

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on Friday published an article on its website, expressing concern over the adverse effects of the United States' recent tariff increases on global economic development and industrial growth.

UNIDO asserted that the tariff hikes "take the wrong approach," pointing out that their calculation and implementation lack evidence to support the achievement of their intended outcomes.

According to the article, these tariffs drive up the cost of industrial production, thereby undermining economic efficiency, diminishing the benefits of trade and weakening competitiveness. UNIDO warned that such policies will ultimately put jobs at risk around the world, affecting the most vulnerable countries the hardest.

Moreover, it cautioned that the negative effects of escalating tariffs will impact not only already vulnerable countries but also the very countries implementing them, exacerbating geopolitical tensions and uncertainty.

"Rather than erecting barriers to industrial trade, a fairer and sustainable global economy should be the goal," said UNIDO Director General Gerd Mueller.

Mueller urged the United States and other industrialized countries to collaborate with developing countries to create win-win situations and build a fairer and more sustainable global economy that ensures long-term prosperity for all.

In its 2025 economic forecast published on Thursday, the World Trade Organization predicted a 0.2 percent decline in global trade – 2.9 percentage points lower than the baseline – citing the impact of the U.S. tariffs and uncertainty around future trade relations with the United States.