• Global connectedness stood at 25% in 2025, matching the record high first reached in 2022
• Namibia ranks among the top three countries globally for long‑term increases in connectedness since 2001; Mozambique, Nigeria and Zambia record strong gains
• The DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 draws on more than 9 million data points worldwide

Globalization remains at a historically high level – despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising U.S. tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainty about future trade policies. This is one of the key findings of the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 (https://Group.DHL.com), released today by DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Based on more than 9 million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information, and people, the report offers the most comprehensive view of globalization available.

Sub‑Saharan Africa: connectedness gains point to rising relevance in global trade

Against this global backdrop, the report presents a nuanced picture for Sub‑Saharan Africa. While levels of connectedness differ significantly across the region, several economies are strengthening their integration into global flows, underscoring steady progress over time, and highlighting scope for further gains in others.

Namibia ranks among the countries with the largest increases in connectedness since 2001, with Mozambique also featuring among the strongest long‑run improvers. More recently, Nigeria and Zambia are listed among the countries with the largest connectedness gains since 2022, reflecting growing momentum in trade, investment and people flows.

Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub‑Saharan Africa, commented: “As supply chains across the globe continue to develop and trade routes expand into new territories, connectedness is emerging as a key differentiator for businesses and nations alike. The countries in our region that are strengthening their global links are becoming more visible in international trade networks. While this is an encouraging trend in terms of the scope of opportunities available, the key is to take advantage of these opportunities to drive consistent and reliable trade flows. This report further underscores how Africa is increasingly shifting from a narrative of aid to one of trade, a transformation powered by stronger integration, rising competitiveness, and improved access to global markets. To fully unlock this potential, the region needs strong regional connectivity, predictable cross-border processes, and partners that understand both local conditions and global trade requirements. At DHL Express, we are committed to being a catalyst for growth in Africa, ensuring that not only is Africa a part of global trade but a key driver within it.”

Beyond trade and investment, the report finds that people flows have recovered fully from the Covid‑19 collapse. In tourism, UN data show that Africa recorded a 17% increase in international arrivals in 2025 compared with 2019, the second‑largest increase among world regions, behind the Middle East.

In the report’s 2024 country ranking of 180 economies, South Africa ranks 53rd overall. Other Sub‑Saharan African countries with relatively higher overall ranks include Seychelles (40th), Mauritius (65th), Namibia (68th), Ghana (97^th), Nigeria (100th), Mozambique (107th), and Kenya (119th).

Globalization has held firm since 2022

The report tracks globalization on a scale from 0% (no cross-border flows) to 100% (borders and distance have no impact). The world’s level of globalization was 25% in 2025, in line with the record high set in 2022.

“Globalization is holding its ground – and that alone speaks volumes about its value,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “From poverty to climate change, the world’s biggest challenges can only be solved through global thinking. The DHL Global Connectedness Report shows that countries and companies are not retreating behind national borders. That is good news. DHL strengthens global ties by connecting markets, businesses, and people so they can adapt, diversify, and unlock new opportunities – even in uncertain times.”

At the same time, the current level of globalization underlines how far the world remains from being fully globalized. In many areas, international flows could expand further in the absence of policy constraints.

 

No global split into rival blocs

Even as the U.S. and China decouple, most countries continue to engage with their longstanding partners. Over the past decade, only 4–6% of global goods trade, greenfield FDI, and cross-border M&A have shifted away from geopolitical rivals. Of these flows, most have not moved to close allies but to countries with flexible geopolitical positions, such as India and Vietnam. Overall, the world economy remains far from a broad split into rival blocs.

“The politics and policy surrounding globalization are much more volatile than the actual flows between countries,” said Prof. Steven A. Altman, Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalization at NYU Stern’s Center for the Future of Management. “Global trade patterns changed more in 2025 than they do in a typical year, but less than they did during other recent disruptions such as the early stages of the war in Ukraine. Sound decision-making requires a calibrated view of how much global business ties are really changing. The risks to globalization are real, but so is the resilience of global flows.”

The DHL Global Connectedness Report

Published regularly since 2011, the DHL Global Connectedness Report provides reliable insights on globalization by analyzing 14 types of international trade, capital, information, and people flows. The 2026 edition is based on more than 9 million data points. It ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, accounting for 99.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 99.0 percent of the world’s population. A set of 180 one-page country profiles summarizes each country’s pattern of globalization.

The report was commissioned by DHL and authored by Steven A. Altman and Caroline R. Bastian of New York University Stern School of Business.

 

The report and further resources are available at https://apo-opa.co/4diKcod.

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, March 11, 2026/APO Group/ –The fifth Geneva International Cooperation Forum (IC Forum) organised by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ Agency for Development and Cooperation last month, saw the participation of African Development Bank Group (https://AfDB.org/) Senior Vice President, Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade.

Akin-Olugbade joined a high-level panel on “Private-Sector Partnerships in Humanitarian Contexts” which took place during the forum held from 26 -27 February 2026 at the Geneva International Conference Centre in Switzerland. On the panel with the senior vice president were key actors from the private sector and experts

Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), set out the terms of the discussion: “In a global context of declining resources, the financing and implementation of humanitarian aid must be expanded. But how do we get the private sector involved in the solutions?” he asked. Lazzeri, who serves as the Bank’s governor for Switzerland, moderated the session

For the participants, it was essential for the private sector to adhere to the principles of humanitarian response, based on a shared responsibility approach. They also stressed that cooperation with the private sector should not replace cooperation with states but strengthen it.

Ms Akin-Olugabade added that “behind every crisis, there are collapsing markets and lost jobs.”

In Africa, where nearly 80% of the population works in the private sector, businesses are at the heart of crises, whether in terms of prevention, stabilisation or recovery. The panellists also called for more funding, provided that it is responsible and does not fuel conflicts.

Ms Akin-Olugbade presented the Bank Group’s approach which is not to replace humanitarian actors, but to complement them by intervening at the right time and with the right instruments.

In Madagascar, for example through the Transition Support Facility, more than 300 very small and medium-sized enterprises (VSEMEs) have gained access to previously unavailable bank financing. In Sudan, partnership with the DAL Group has helped to stabilise agricultural value chains in the nation despite the ongoing conflict. Also in the Sahel region, collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) illustrates how the Bank Group combines its financial instruments with humanitarian expertise on the ground.

These interventions, designed to complement the efforts of all stakeholders, aim to revive the local economy, restore essential services and reduce the risk of a relapse into crisis. According to Akin-Olugbade, it is this synergy between humanitarian actors, the private sector and multilateral development banks that is the key to a truly sustainable response.

In conclusion, participants unanimously agreed that the private sector cannot be reduced to the role of a mere donor: its expertise and capacity for innovation make it a full partner in humanitarian action, provided that this collaboration is structured, responsible and rooted in the realities on the ground.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 11, 2026/APO Group/ –Equatorial Guinea has launched its National Malaria Elimination Strategy – Vision 2030, marking a decisive step in the country’s public health agenda. The roadmap builds on two decades of sustained intervention on Bioko Island, reinforcing how partnerships between governments, global health organizations and energy companies can deliver measurable social impact. This next phase of the strategy strives to eradicate malaria nationwide by 2030, with a joint fund of $116 million allocated by government ($52 million) and international partners ($64 million) to achieve this goal.

The launch follows international recognition of the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project, supported for more than two decades by ConocoPhillips and global health partners. ConocoPhillips was recently honored with the Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year Award at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 in South Africa, acknowledging the Bioko Island project’s long-term contribution to malaria reduction, stronger health systems and community well-being in Equatorial Guinea.

 

“Across Africa, energy producers are demonstrating that development must go hand in hand with social investment. The success of the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project shows how industry partnerships can transform communities. By combining long-term investment, strong government leadership and international collaboration, Equatorial Guinea is proving that Africa’s energy sector can drive both economic growth and public health progress,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC).

From Bioko Success to Nationwide Rollout

Since its launch more than two decades ago, the Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project has delivered measurable improvements in public health across the island. According to figures presented by Mitoha Ondo Ayecaba, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Health Infrastructure during the launch ceremony, malaria prevalence among children aged 2 to 14 years has fallen by 83%, while transmission rates have declined by 78%. In 2025, malaria prevalence on Bioko reached a historic low of 7.2%, underscoring the sustained impact of prevention programs, surveillance systems and targeted community interventions.

The program has also delivered broader health benefits. Infant mortality among children under five has fallen by 78%, while anemia among pregnant women has been reduced by 77%. At the same time, sustained vector control campaigns have eliminated two of the three primary malaria-transmitting mosquito species on the island.

These achievements have been made possible through long-term collaboration between the Equatorial Guinean government, MCD Global Health and energy sector partners such as ConocoPhillips. Over the past two decades, more than $130 million has been invested into malaria elimination programs on Bioko Island alone. With malaria now at historically low levels on the island, the government is scaling the model nationwide.

A Testament to the Role of Energy Partnerships

The Bioko Island Malaria Elimination Project is a clear example of how public-private partnerships in the energy sector can unlock more than just energy development. Home to some of the country’s biggest energy projects, the island showcases the value of responsible energy investment in strengthening social protection and improving the quality of life across energy-producing countries.

Bioko Island features the Punta Europa facility – a major regional energy hub operated by ConocoPhillips through its subsidiary Marathon E.G. The facility monetizes natural gas from both domestic and regional basins, featuring a 3.7 million-ton-per-annum LNG plant and a methanol plant. A central component of the country’s broader Gas Mega Hub strategy, Punta Europa is set to play an even greater role in increasing Equatorial Guinea’s energy exports, with a slate of new production sharing and cross-border agreements signed in 2026. ConocoPhillips signed production sharing contracts for offshore Blocks B/4 and EG-27 this year, unlocking $9 billion in capital to feed new volumes into Punta Europa. Equatorial Guinea also recently signed an agreement with Nigeria to develop infrastructure capable of transporting Nigerian gas to the Punta Europa facility, while an agreement signed with Cameroon paves the way for additional volumes.

As energy activity on Bioko Island continues to grow, the role of industry partnerships in supporting social development is becoming increasingly evident. The National Malaria Elimination Strategy highlights how energy investment can extend beyond infrastructure and production to deliver lasting improvements in public health and community resilience. Achieving the Vision 2030 target would mark a major public health milestone while reinforcing how responsible energy development can support broader progress across Africa.