Globalization remains at a historically high level despite escalating geopolitical tensions, rising tariffs in the United States and growing uncertainty over future trade policies, according to the latest edition of the DHL Global Connectedness Report 2026 released by DHL in collaboration with New York University Stern School of Business.
The report, based on more than nine million data points tracking international flows of trade, capital, information and people, presents one of the most comprehensive assessments of globalization trends. Its findings show that global connectedness has remained resilient even amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and economic uncertainties.
According to the report, the global level of connectedness stood at 25 percent in 2025, matching the record high first reached in 2022. The measure tracks globalization on a scale from zero percent, indicating no cross-border flows, to 100 percent, where borders and distance would have no impact on international interactions. The current level underscores both the resilience of globalization and the significant room for further expansion of global flows if policy barriers are reduced.
Within this global context, the report highlights a nuanced but increasingly positive trajectory for Sub-Saharan Africa. Although levels of connectedness vary widely across the region, several economies are steadily strengthening their integration into global networks of trade, investment and people movement. Countries such as Namibia and Mozambique are identified among those recording some of the largest increases in connectedness since 2001, reflecting long-term progress in global economic engagement.
More recent gains have also been recorded in other African economies. The report lists Nigeria and Zambia among the countries showing the strongest improvements in connectedness since 2022, suggesting growing momentum in trade activity, investment flows and cross-border mobility. These developments indicate that parts of the region are becoming increasingly visible in global trade networks.
Hennie Heymans said the growing integration of African economies into global supply chains presents significant opportunities for businesses and governments. He noted that as trade routes continue to expand and supply chains evolve, connectedness is becoming a key differentiator for countries seeking to strengthen their roles in global markets. According to him, Africa’s economic narrative is gradually shifting from one centered on aid to one driven by trade, supported by stronger regional integration, rising competitiveness and improved access to international markets. He added that unlocking the region’s full potential will require improved regional connectivity, predictable cross-border processes and partners capable of navigating both local conditions and global trade requirements.
Beyond trade and investment, the report also finds that international movement of people has fully recovered from the sharp decline experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism has been a particularly strong driver of recovery in Africa. Data from United Nations show that the continent recorded a 17 percent increase in international tourist arrivals in 2025 compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the second-largest increase among world regions after the Middle East.
In the report’s ranking of 180 economies based on overall connectedness in 2024, several African countries featured among the higher-placed economies in the region. Seychelles ranked 40th globally, followed by South Africa at 53rd, Mauritius at 65th, Namibia at 68th, Ghana at 97th, Nigeria at 100th, Mozambique at 107th and Kenya at 119th.
Despite rising geopolitical tensions, the report finds little evidence that the world economy is splitting into rival economic blocs. Although economic decoupling between the United States and China has intensified, most countries continue to trade and invest with a broad range of partners rather than aligning strictly along geopolitical lines. Over the past decade, only about four to six percent of global goods trade, greenfield foreign direct investment and cross-border mergers and acquisitions have shifted away from geopolitical rivals. Much of this shift has not gone to close allies but instead to countries maintaining flexible geopolitical positions, including India and Vietnam.
John Pearson said the continued resilience of globalization reflects its enduring value in addressing global challenges. He noted that issues ranging from poverty to climate change require international cooperation and interconnected markets, adding that global business and economic ties have not retreated behind national borders despite rising political tensions.
The report also highlights the gap between political rhetoric surrounding globalization and the actual behaviour of international economic flows. Steven A. Altman observed that while global trade patterns experienced noticeable shifts in 2025, the changes were still smaller than those seen during earlier disruptions such as the initial phase of the war in Ukraine. He emphasised that while risks to globalization remain real, the persistence of cross-border flows demonstrates a significant level of resilience.
Published regularly since 2011, the DHL Global Connectedness Report analyses 14 types of international flows across trade, capital, information and people movement. The 2026 edition ranks the connectedness of 180 countries, covering more than 99 percent of global GDP and population, and includes detailed country profiles outlining how each economy participates in the global system. The report was authored by Steven A. Altman and Caroline R. Bastian of the New York University Stern School of Business.
