The strategic importance of the world’s oceans is growing. According to estimates by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), between 1995 and 2020, the "blue economy" expanded 2.5 times, outpacing global economic growth (global GDP grew 1.9 times over the same period). Key areas of development include marine and coastal tourism, maritime transport, and the export of high-tech goods and biological resources. In 2023, global trade in ocean-related goods and services reached USD 2.2 trillion, accounting for 7% of total global trade. The world’s oceans also provide livelihoods for 600 million people and employment for 100 million workers. Despite this dynamic growth, the sector’s potential is undermined by a range of systemic threats: climate change, depletion of marine resources, plastic pollution, rising trade tariffs, and ecosystem degradation. To ensure sustainable growth, it is essential to strengthen international regulation of marine ecosystem use, invest in clean technologies, and implement new standards in the maritime transport sector.

The results of a study on forms of corruption among high-level officials in the European Union (EU) and its consequences for regional development have been published. In the field of public procurement, embezzlement, misappropriation, and fraud are the most common offenses (80% of violations), while bribery dominates in the customs sector (87% of violations). Document falsification and illegal asset transfers prevail in schemes to circumvent sanctions. Corruption undermines public trust in government institutions, reduces investment attractiveness, and causes significant economic losses. For example, in Croatia, high-risk public procurement led to overpayments totaling €54 million between 2018 and 2022. Recommendations to improve the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts include enhancing the quality and accessibility of procurement data, standardizing it through unified identifiers, digitizing customs procedures, improving conflict of interest regulations, and strengthening the role of civil society in detecting violations.

According to estimates by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global public debt has reached a record high of USD 102 trillion, with 30% (USD 31 trillion) accounted for by developing countries. Experts highlight the uneven regional distribution of public debt. The growth rate of debt in developing economies is twice as high as that of advanced economies. Asia and Oceania hold 25% of global public debt, Latin America and the Caribbean account for 5%, and Africa for 2%. Among the key challenges is the rising cost of borrowing. In 2024, net interest payments on public debt by developing countries reached USD 921 billion, 10% higher than in 2023. Additionally, 61 countries allocated 10% or more of their government revenues to interest payments.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has presented a working report on global tobacco control efforts. Experts analyzed the effectiveness of implementing six recommended measures: • monitoring tobacco consumption levels and conducting preventive initiatives; • adopting legislation to create smoke-free public spaces; • providing assistance for smoking cessation; • informing the public about the dangers of tobacco through packaging and media; • enforcing laws banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; • increasing tobacco taxes. Between 2007 and 2025, 155 countries implemented at least one of these policy recommendations, and 110 countries adopted mandatory graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging. Four countries — Brazil, Mauritius, the Netherlands, and Turkey — have implemented the full set of measures. Despite these efforts, the practical effectiveness of anti-tobacco initiatives remains limited. For example, 110 countries have not conducted anti-tobacco campaigns since 2022, 134 countries have made no significant changes to tobacco pricing policies, and advertising bans are in place in only 68 countries.

According to the United Nations (UN), global economic losses from natural disasters amount to USD 202 billion annually. The actual costs, including cascading effects and damage to ecosystems, exceed USD 2.3 trillion. Developing countries remain the most vulnerable, with losses potentially reaching several tens of percent of GDP. Experts highlight the inefficiency of the current disaster response model. More than 96% of funding is allocated to recovery and reconstruction, while only 4% is directed toward risk prevention and strengthening infrastructure resilience. As part of its disaster risk management system reform, the UN recommends adopting a risk-based approach in public financial planning, improving insurance mechanisms that consider local contexts, expanding access to reliable data on natural hazards, and actively using international financial instruments to prevent humanitarian and debt crises.