UN projects Pakistan’s economy to grow by 2.3%

NITED NATIONS: Pakistan, a key part of the South Asian region, is expected to experience “moderate growth, stabilising after a period of economic contraction”, with its gross domestic product (GDP) projected to expand by 2.3 per cent in 2025, according to a United Nations report, Geo News reports.

The report, titled ‘the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025’, noted that declining inflation has allowed most of the South Asian region’s central banks to commence or continue monetary easing in 2025.

Meanwhile, governments in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are expected to continue fiscal consolidation and economic reforms under International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported programmes.

It said that the near-term outlook for South Asia is expected to remain robust, with growth projected at 5.7 per cent in 2025 and 6.0 per cent in 2026, “driven by strong performance in India as well as economic recovery in a few other economies”, including Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

The report said the global economy is at a precarious juncture, marked by heightened trade tensions and elevated policy uncertainty. The recent surge in tariffs -- driving the effective US tariff rate up steeply -- threatens to raise production costs, disrupt global supply chains and amplify financial turbulence.

Uncertainty over trade and economic policies, combined with a volatile geopolitical landscape, is prompting businesses to delay or scale back critical investment decisions. These developments are compounding existing challenges, including high debt levels and sluggish productivity growth, further undermining global growth prospects.

Global GDP growth is now forecast at just 2.4 per cent in 2025, down from 2.9 per cent in 2024 and 0.4 percentage points below the January 2025 projection.Slower global growth, elevated inflationary pressures and weakening global trade -- including a projected halving of trade growth from 3.3 per cent in 2024 to 1.6 per cent in 2025 -- jeopardise progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The slowdown is broad-based, affecting both developed and developing economies. Growth in the United States is projected to decelerate significantly, from 2.8 per cent in 2024 to 1.6 per cent in 2025, with higher tariffs and policy uncertainty expected to weigh on private investment and consumption. In the European Union, GDP growth is forecast at 1.0 per cent in 2025, unchanged from 2024, amid weaker net exports and higher trade barriers.

China’s growth is expected to slow to 4.6 per cent this year, reflecting subdued consumer sentiment, disruptions in export-oriented manufacturing and ongoing property sector challenges. Several other major developing economies, including Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, are also facing growth downgrades due to weakening trade, slowing investment and falling commodity prices. India, whose 2025 growth forecast has been revised downward to 6.3 per cent, remains one of the fastest growing large economies.

“The tariff shock risks hitting vulnerable developing countries hard, slowing growth, slashing export revenues, and compounding debt challenges, especially as these economies are already struggling to make the investments needed for long-term, sustainable development,” said United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua. While global headline inflation eased from 5.7 per cent in 2023 to 4.0 per cent in 2024, price pressures remain stubbornly high in many economies. By early 2025, inflation exceeded pre-pandemic averages in two-thirds of countries, with over 20 developing economies facing double-digit rates.

Food inflation, averaging above 6.0 per cent, continues to hit low-income households hardest, particularly in Africa, South Asia and Western Asia. Higher trade barriers and climate shocks are further amplifying inflation risks, underscoring the need for coordinated policies -- combining credible monetary frameworks, targeted fiscal support and long-term strategies -- to stabilise prices and shield the most vulnerable.