United Nations A3208 General assembly Distr. general 17 August 2018 Seventy-third sessio Item 18(a)of the provisional agenda* Macroeconomic policy questions International trade and development Report of the secretary-General Summary The green shoots of the recovery in global trade that began in 2017have ontinued in 2018, with trade growth outpacing the growth of global gross domestic product once again. While this would normally lead to an optimistic outlook, the ntegrity of the multilateral trading system is under threat, and with it, the prospects for sustained global trade growth and the achievement of a comprehensive development agenda. The latest trade statistics are described in the present report, as well as the ways in which a revitalized and resilient multilateral trading system will allow trade to fulfil its role as an enabler for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development and the sustainable development goals A/73/150 18-12039 IⅢⅢ旧Ⅲ Please recyeleUnited Nations A/73/208 General Assembly Distr.: General 17 August 2018 Original: English 18-12039 (E) 280818 *1812039* Seventy-third session Item 18 (a) of the provisional agenda* Macroeconomic policy questions International trade and development Report of the Secretary-General Summary The green shoots of the recovery in global trade that began in 2017 have continued in 2018, with trade growth outpacing the growth of global gross domestic product once again. While this would normally lead to an optimistic outlook, the integrity of the multilateral trading system is under threat, and with it, the prospects for sustained global trade growth and the achievement of a comprehensive development agenda. The latest trade statistics are described in the present report, as well as the ways in which a revitalized and resilient multilateral trading system will allow trade to fulfil its role as an enabler for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. * A/73/150