European Association of Business Development Names 7 Key Trends in the World Economy in 2026

Key Trends in the World Economy in 2026: European Association of Business Development has identified seven key trends based on IMF and OECD reports shaping the global economy in 2026. Their common message is clear: the world is not moving into collapse, but into a more selective, fragmented and competitive economic cycle, where growth will increasingly depend on innovation, trust, partnerships and entrepreneurial speed.

1. Slower, but Not Stopped, Global Growth

The global economy is still growing, but at a more moderate pace. The IMF projects global growth at 3.1% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, below recent outcomes and well below pre-pandemic averages. The OECD’s March 2026 interim outlook projected global GDP growth at 2.9% in 2026 and 3.0% in 2027, supported partly by technology-related investment. (IMF)

This means that growth will no longer be automatic. Companies will have to win it through productivity, better management, innovation, export strategy and stronger international partnerships.

China’s Energy Dependence 2026: Top 10 Oil & Gas Suppliers and Strait of Hormuz

China remains the world’s largest importer of oil and one of the largest importers of natural gas. Its energy vulnerability is shaped not only by the volume of imports, but also by the geography of supply: a significant share of oil and part of LNG shipments pass through Middle Eastern maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, any escalation in the Strait of Hormuz directly affects China’s energy security, logistics, prices, refinery margins and Beijing’s foreign-policy negotiations.

In 2024, China imported around 11.1 million barrels of crude oil per day, covering approximately 74% of the country’s apparent oil consumption. The five largest suppliers — Russia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Iraq and Oman — accounted for roughly two thirds of China’s oil imports.

Russia became China’s largest oil supplier in 2024: deliveries reached 108.5 million tonnes, or about 2.17 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia supplied around 78.64 million tonnes, or 1.57 million barrels per day, while Malaysia sharply increased deliveries to 70.38 million tonnes. Reuters separately notes that Malaysia acts as an important transit hub for sanctioned oil, including Iranian and Venezuelan crude.

Strategically, it is important that around 90% of China’s crude oil imports arrived by sea, while the remaining share came overland, primarily from Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. This means that China is partly protected by land-based supplies from Russia, but still remains heavily dependent on maritime routes.

Top 20 Best Countries for Business Development by 2035

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By Andrii Azarov (Andrew Azarov) — Professor of Business, Economics, and the Applied Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Development of Business Process Automation Software Systems. International Business Academy Consortium (United Kingdom).

Introduction

By 2035, the best country for business development will not necessarily be the country with the lowest tax rate or the fastest incorporation form. It will be the country where business can be built, financed, protected, scaled and lived around.

This means the serious founder must now ask a wider question: not merely where to register a company, but where to create a durable economic life. A truly strong jurisdiction must combine legal predictability, workable taxation, credible institutions, practical infrastructure, decent family living conditions, educational opportunity for children, acceptable healthcare, and enough economic headroom for the entrepreneur not only to survive, but to accumulate capital.

That is why this article does not offer a shallow “top list”. It offers a strategic view of 20 jurisdictions that, for different reasons, may remain among the strongest places in the world for business development by 2035. The world economy is entering a more selective era of capital, more geopolitical fragmentation, more AI-led productivity gaps, and more competition between tax systems, talent systems and quality-of-life systems. Countries that align all three — money, institutions and family life — will win the next decade.

The Creation and Development History of Global Development Alliance

100%NEWS — BUSINESS & GROWTH

Serena Ashbourne in conversation with Andrew Azarov

SERENA ASHBOURNE:
Welcome to 100%NEWS — Business & Growth.
Today we are speaking about a business story that did not begin as a single company, a single brand, or a single project.

It began as a sequence of entrepreneurial decisions, built over more than three decades, across trade, finance, real estate, media, education, events, franchising, investment, digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

My guest today is Andrew Azarov, one of the founders and architects behind Global Development Alliance, known as GDA — an international ecosystem for the development of individuals, families, businesses and society.

Andrew, welcome to 100%NEWS.

ANDREW AZAROV:
Thank you, Serena.
It is a pleasure to be here.

For me, GDA is not just a corporate structure. It is the result of many years of practical experience. It is the story of how different business directions, educational projects, media platforms, public initiatives and international events gradually became one interconnected development ecosystem.

The Foundation: Trade and Practical Experience

World Woman Club celebrates 20 Years

On March 1, 2026, World Woman Club opened the anniversary season of its 20th jubilee — a journey that began in 2006 and, according to the club’s official materials, was formally registered on March 1, 2007. This jubilee year is envisioned not as a single evening or one ceremonial event, but as an entire international season of recognition, remembrance, and a renewed vision for the future.

The summer culmination of the celebrations will take place in Davos as part of the World Woman Forum 2026, with a gala celebration on July 12, marking the high point of this historic year.

A Two-Decade Journey: From an Idea to a Global Ecosystem

Over twenty years, World Woman Club has grown from the idea of uniting strong and ambitious women into a full-fledged international ecosystem. The club defines its mission as bringing together women leaders and women’s organisations from around the world into one multilingual global network for real progress, business cooperation, and global development. What began as a bold initiative has evolved into a respected international platform that connects women across countries, cultures, industries, and generations.

Global Mentoring Programme 2026 announced the intake in 200 countries

How the Global Women’s Mentoring Program Emerged

From the Vital Voices initiative (1997–1999) to U.S. Department of State support and a worldwide network

Global mentoring for women did not appear overnight. It grew out of a public-policy idea in the late 1990s, evolved into an independent international organization, and later expanded through public–private partnerships that connected women leaders across countries and industries. Below is a clear narrative of how this global mentoring model formed—along with the people and formats that helped it scale.

1) The origins: a U.S. State Department initiative (1997)

In 1997, the U.S. Department of State launched the Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. It is often described as an effort to make the promotion of women’s rights and women’s leadership part of U.S. foreign policy. In Vital Voices sources, this early stage is linked to the roles of Hillary Rodham Clinton (then First Lady) and Madeleine Albright (then U.S. Secretary of State).